Finding Home
by Imagigamegirl
Summary: Hat Kid was a simple girl, finding her way back home with all Time Pieces in hand. But a nearby planet had other plans for her. Join Hat Kid as she journeys through a new world. Making new friends and enemies, exploring new places, and trying on new hats. Rated T just in case. Basically a narration of the game, but with some extra details to add a bit more to the story.
1. The Adventure Begins

"Imagi, why are you making another fic when you have two unfinished ones," is probably what you're asking. I'm here to say...it's because I love this game and want to tell its story...with some insights, of course. Fear not, if you happen to read my other two unfinished ones, fellow reader! I plan to not have them remain unfinished. One should be about 2 chapters away from completion anyhow. But I'm not here to discuss that or promote them. I'm here for this! So without further ado, let us begin Hat Kid's adventures! Also note, I don't own the title pic or the game. The game belongs to Gears for Breakfast and the pic belongs to rightful owner.

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"Climb up, you idiot!"

"I'm trying!"

A little girl, about 9 years old, was on stage, running from what appears to be an about 20-foot tall ball of buff men? On top of the ball is a chef-attired man with a bushy mustache and a frying pan and a machete for weapons. A similar aged kid with a mustache was tied up and hanging in the background, shouting at the young girl to climb up to attack.

But let's freeze for a moment.

You're probably wondering what's going on. Who's that kid? How are those men able to form a physical ball? How can a 9-year-old girl grow a mustache like that?

Well, in order to understand, you'll have to go way back.

 ***About a week ago…** *

The setting takes place in a cozy bedroom. At the moment, the lights were off. It was difficult to see what was around, but one could faintly make out some important features of the bedroom.

What stood out the most was the one half of the room, which was covered with a pond of pillows. They all piled up underneath a diving board set up just for them.

The other half had a few simple items. A desk with scattered papers, notes and star charts sat near the automated motion-detecting doorway. Next to it was a large blue closet. There were not too many clothes in there. Made it better to fit more skeletons. Finally, a large queen-sized bed with blue sheets and a blue canopy.

Within the bed was a small shifting lump. Looking closely, one could recognize it was a little girl. Her toffee-brown hair brushed down her cheek as she smiled peacefully in her sleep. She wore her normal outfit, which consisted of a big purple shirt with a bright yellow cape that had a zipper attached to it as well as white long pants. Her brown boots sat at the side of the bed and her favorite hat, a purple top hat with a yellow sash across it, sat on the nightstand next to her.

As she continued to enjoy her peaceful sleep, suddenly, the lights came on and an automated male voice rang in.

" **Good morning!** "

The child, startled by the sudden wake-up call, fell right out of bed, knocking into the nightstand in the process. The hat flew right off and floated right on top of her head. She let out a moan of pain and annoyance. She was never going to get used to that darn daily announcement.

As the voice droned on about how close she was to home and things to do today, she stood up with a yawn, rubbing her sleepy turquoise eyes. She grabbed her boots and put them on, then tousled her hair a bit. She then put it up in a ponytail, leaving two large strands to sit on her shoulders. With a stretch and a small smile, she headed to the automated doors.

Now, looking on the outside of this room, it is shown that this young child was actually on a spaceship. A space-resistant wooden-built ship with a golden framework and large comet-proof glass windows. The windows made it better to see the stars for her. It hovered close by another planet, which was a quick pit-stop for her to make sure everything was still ship-shape for the rest of her journey.

Entering the main hub, the child looked around with a small smile, seeing everything was alright so far. She waved to Rumbi, her automated vacuum cleaner, and headed upstairs. Rumbi pinged back to her and continued cleaning the green-carpeted floor, occasionally bumping into a wall or object.

The child, who we will call Hat Kid for simplification, walked up to the large computer screen propped up next to a futuristic vault. She reached up and pushed a button on the screen, while saying, "Boop." The screen showed how much fuel she had, which was 40/40 hourglasses.

Hat Kid smiled, happy to know all Time Pieces were accounted for. Time Pieces, to her people, were valuable items that only a few are entrusted with. They were hourglasses that were fragile and could alter time itself if misused. The only safe way to properly use them was using their power as fuel for Hat Kid's ship. Without them, she would not be able to complete her one mission to go home.

She left her planet for...unspoken reasons that she wished not to reflect on, but now that her wandering days were coming close to an end, she could not help but feel excited about her return. According to her star charts, she was only halfway there. She smiled warmly. Everything was going well.

Until a sudden noise made her jump. It sounded like banging. She looked around for the source until her startled gaze met the large window. There was no debris or meteors around, so it could not be a meteor shower or anything. So what was causing that banging?

She climbed down her ladder to get a better look, but she did not have to go far. On the other side of the window, just knocking on the hatch, she spotted a man knocking. The man looked large and brutish in his stature as he seemed to appear twice as tall as Hat Kid.

As Hat Kid walked cautiously closer to deal with the sudden intruder, she saw more details. He had thick eyebrows like brown fuzzy caterpillars, a small mustache, and a bald head. His outfit was a blue suit and pants, a red tie and...a chef's apron? Weird combination. But then again, this was space and a new planet for Hat Kid. Train conductor clothes could be seen as an approving normal style here for all she knew.

The man stopped knocking once Hat Kid was close to the hatch, tilting her head in confusion on how he got up here and why he was knocking on her door. He answered her question briefly.

"What is this? Flying boat? All boats need to pay toll in Mafia Town. Even in space! Mafia come in to collect."

Okay, now he's speaking in the third person. This was getting weirder by the minute. But Hat Kid snapped out of her confused thoughts as the Mafia man grabbed the handle to the hatch and opened it a bit.

' _He can't do that! He'll have space suck up this place,_ ' screamed Hat Kid's thoughts. Taking action, she jumped up and grabbed the handle. Despite the man's structure, Hat Kid managed to be the strong one and shut the hatch. He stumbled back, floating there in the lack of gravity field, and shouted, "How rude!"

Hat Kid hopped down and brushed her hands off. That should take care of that. But the Mafia man was not done. He was going to collect and no little girl was going to keep him from doing so. He swiftly charged at the hatch and it broke open.

Hat Kid jumped back, startled by the sudden damage. The window itself may be strong enough to stay structurally sound from a comet hit, but the hatch was not. The vacuum of space then pulls the Mafia man back to the hole he broke through.

Realizing what he did, he only said, "Uh oh," and was then shot back out into space, hurtling towards the nearby planet. The vacuum did not stop, however. Hat Kid, dangerously close to the hole, was sucked right out as well. She let out a scream as she was sent flying away from her ship.

To make matters worse, the vacuum also opened the futuristic safe, taking all the Time Pieces that were inside out. They scattered and flew past Hat Kid as she watched, before her very eyes, power drain from her precious spaceship.

Once the fuel hit zero, the lights turned off on the ship. Hat Kid just stared for a solid moment, then sighed as the planet's gravitational pull began to bring her down along with the foolish Mafia man and the Time Pieces, scattering in all regions of the planet.

"...Guess I'm not going home today."


	2. Welcome to Mafia Town

As Hat Kid broke the atmosphere, she looked down at the world she was about to land into. An island with a large town, a plaza with a fountain, giant faucets, large chunks of meat that the Mafia men were even running on, and docks with ships filled with fish. The most important feature here was the large chunk of land sitting atop a 60-foot geyser. On top of the patch of land was a sort of headquarters.

Hat Kid did not have time to dwell on that building when she became dangerously close to hitting the ground below. She let out another small scream as she fell right into a tarp. It ripped through and she managed to land on her feet right in an alleyway.

She patted herself down to check herself over. Still had all her limbs and does not appear to have any broken bones. Thank goodness. She let out an exhale of relief, then jumped, being startled. The Mafia man that broke her hatch landed 10 feet away from her and was knocked unconscious. It was almost surprising he was alive since a tarp did not break his fall.

So, to sum up all that just happened, a Mafia man broke the hatch on her ship, causing her to be sucked out of space and away from her ship as well as all her Time Pieces to become scattered. Now she has no idea where they all are and no way of getting home.

She couldn't just stand around and dwell on it though or feel horrible about it. She never could get anywhere doing that, so she has been taught. The only thing to do now was continue forward and see if she can find her Time Pieces before anyone else got their hands on them. She walked forward, exiting the alleyway.

But she suddenly stopped in her tracks when two Mafia men were thrown right in front of her, knocked out. Then a new figure hopped down and stood atop the two. A little girl, about Hat Kid's age, with blond hair wrapped with purple bands and a...blond mustache? She wore a red cape with a hood and a star medallion and a light rose dress with light purple highlights.

The mustached stranger looked right at Hat Kid and her golden-orange eyes widened in surprise. She then hopped off the men and took off running. Hat Kid, now curious, quickly followed her. Maybe she knows where the Time Pieces are.

The girl spotted Hat Kid following and ran a bit faster, jumping across gaps and such. Hat Kid continued following, but then tripped and fell forward. When she winced and sat up, she heard chuckling to her left. A Mafia man was leaning against the wall. His foot was out when she was passing by. She stood up and stuck her tongue out at him, then continued forward.

She, unfortunately, lost the stranger. Snapping her fingers in a way of silently saying, "Shoot," she looked around for another way to find her or a Time Piece for that matter. She saw one Mafia man that did not look like a bully, unlike the one that made her trip. She walked up to him and tugged on his suit tail.

He looked down at her, a bit surprised to see a little girl around a town like theirs. "What do you want, little girl?"

She took a small breath and asked, "Did you see another girl run by here? Has a mustache?"

"Mafia did see, but Mafia suggest you do not follow. Mustached girl is trouble. Always stopping Mafia from tripping people and taking what belongs to Mafia."

"Uh-huh...did you see where she went so I can...avoid her?"

"She went just that way, near bell tower close to base." He pointed forward and Hat Kid spotted the Bell Tower. She smiled a bit, happy that she can advance.

"By the way, what _is_ that exactly?" She pointed up to the patch of land sitting on the geyser. Mafia looked up, then back down to Hat Kid.

"We build base on giant geyser. You ask, 'How this done?' but we not tell. If we tell, you try to build base like us, but base turns out puny. By not telling, you avoid miserable fate. Mafia does you favor. Now you owe Mafia favor."

"Okay...I'll keep that in mind." With an awkward smile, she headed forward towards the Bell Tower. She was then stopped by a slip of red paper flying into her face and sticking there. With an annoyed huff, she pulls it off and looks it over. It was some sort of code to a vault.

Wait, she spotted a red vault just as she was following the stranger. She ran back and looked at the vault, then at the slip of paper. It only had 2 of the numbers needed for the combination. She'll probably have to find more of these slips of paper. Luckily, she did not have to look far as she spotted on the ledge above her another similar slip floating in the wind.

She jumped up and grabbed it. 4 numbers now. One more slip should have the last two. She then spotted it on the rooftop, slowly flying towards a Mafioso, which she decided to call the Mafia men citizens. She quickly ran onto the rooftop and jumped up to grab it. As she did, she bumped into the Mafioso, having him fall off the roof.

She let out a small gasp and checked below. No sign of him. All she could say to that was, "...My bad." She then hopped down to the vault and inserted the combination. The vault opened, giving her pons, which was currency here, so she learned.

She also found a ball of red and white yarn. Her eyes lit up a bit. She could make a new hat out of this if she wanted to! She'll need another ball of yarn to do so, but that should not be hard to find. With an eager smile, she pocketed it and continued forward once more.

For a young girl, this stranger was pretty agile. She was hopping across alleyways and past other Mafiosos. Luckily, Hat Kid was just as agile. But she then skidded to a stop when she saw another stranger close by to a crane, hidden in the shadows. Her conscience told her it would be wise to avoid him...but when do we ever listen to that?

She carefully approached him and the glitchy-like figure looked up at her. "Well...hello there, young one."

"Hi, stranger. ...You're not going to abduct me, are ya?"

"No. I am just a weary traveler from a far away land. I've seen every corner of the earth and I sell tiny pieces of my discoveries." He then stepped into the light, making Hat Kid gasp. He was shrouded with a red shirt that covered down to his torso, which was wrapped loosely with a brown belt, purple baggy pants, brown boots, a deep purple cloak hood, and a large brown backpack. He also held a cane in his hand.

And his face...it was so strange. He wore a sort of white porcelain mask with a single glowing green eye showing in his right eye hole. But his face was so...glitchy. Purple pixels seemed to come off of him and he would do a couple small spasms.

"But you may call me...the Badge Seller."

"B...badges?"

"Yes. I sell and trade badges. They can provide you with strong abilities and upgrades to that special hat of yours...if you have the money, of course."

"...What sort of badges?" Hat Kid seemed curious now. He seemed to smile as he held out two badges to her. One had a magnet while the other had an umbrella.

He pointed to the magnet one first. "This 50-pon Item Magnet badge will make it easier for you to collect more pons." He then pointed to the umbrella one. "The Hover Badge will help you catch yourself when you fall from a fatal height. Only 100 pons."

Hat Kid looked at her choices. The Magnet one could come in use for now since...she didn't have an umbrella and 100 pons is expensive. She had about 63 pons, thanks to the safe. So with a confident smile, no longer intimidated by the Badge Seller's appearance, she held out a bag of 50 pons.

"Magnet, please."

"Good choice." He seemed to smile as he took the bag of pons and gave her the magnet badge. She attached it to her hat with a small smile. She could feel a sort of magnetic energy course through her.

"If you ever want any more, I am always around, no matter where you may travel, and always changing inventory."

"Cool. Cya!" Now, she really had to focus. She spotted the stranger watching from the dome rooftop near the Bell Tower and headed in her direction. The stranger blinked in surprise and hopped up on some construction equipment, going into the Bell Tower.

The girl then finally spoke to Hat Kid as she reached the base of the tower.

"Hey you~! Down there~! Don't think I didn't see you stalking me~! Us kids should stick together, not stalk one another." Her arms were crossed as she leaned against the wall, staring down at Hat Kid.

She continued, "I mean, Mafia Town can be a _really_ dangerous place. So whaddya say? Wanna join my little rebellion?"

Before Hat Kid could think about the question, the mustached stranger continued, "Oh, by the way, did you have anything to do with all the junk falling from the sky?"

Hat Kid blinked and quickly nodded, hoping from where the mustached girl stood, she could see. To confirm this expectation, the girl replied, "Yeah? Yikes. Looks like you've got a lot of cleaning up to do, huh? Tell you what. Come up here and I can show you where some of your junk landed!"

Now we're making progress. With a small smile, she started climbing her way up. She hopped on top of the dome roof building, onto a large wooden platform being held by a crane, and landed in the Bell Tower.

Mustached Girl, who we will call MG for short, then went to the ledge, facing towards the plaza where the now-broken fountain was. "Follow me, rebel squad!" She leaped down from the tower, swung off a wireline, and landed in the alleyway. Hat Kid followed her, just landing on nearby platforms.

MG stopped at a gap with a raging river below to the ocean. On the other side was the plaza. She looked at Hat Kid and said, "Hey, I think one of your junk pieces fell and smashed into the market's fountain. Messed it up _real_ good. When going over there, just avoid making eye contact with the Mafia and you'll be fine. Good luck, fellow rebel." With a small salute, she hopped over the gap with ease and went out of sight.

Hat Kid gave a nod in understanding and hopped over as well, going to the fountain as she spotted a familiar white glow near it. She then stopped when she saw the Time Piece...in a Mafioso's hand. He was leaning against a small blue umbrella with a star pattern, observing this Time Piece.

Hat Kid recalled what MG told her, but she could not let that jerk keep her Time Piece. They're way too valuable. To appear tough, she tilted her hat forward a bit and marched up to him.

"Hey!" The Mafioso looked up at the little girl that stood before him. She gave a small smile and held out her hand. "I'll take that."

He only huffed. "This belong to Mafia now." She blinked and decided to try and take it. She marched right up to him to grab it, but he used his umbrella to push her back and keep her out of reach. She tried pushing past, but it seemed useless. He only chuckled at her attempt and smiled while looking at the Time Piece.

Hat Kid decided another approach. She looked down at the umbrella and snatched it out his hands, catching him off guard. Now that she had a weapon, she gave a mischievous smirk to the Mafioso. Now afraid of getting beaten up, he ran, holding the Time Piece close.

But he wasn't going to get away with it. Not on her watch. She held her umbrella high like a sword and shouted, "Down with the Mafia!" She chased him and started beating him with the umbrella.

It only took a few smacks until he fell over, unconscious. The Time Piece rolled out of his hands and she picked it up with a warm smile while saying, "Thank you." That's one down at least. And now she had an umbrella to help defend any more jerks that cross her path.

Now the question was how was she going to get back to her ship and lock it away for safekeeping. As if the Time Piece answered her silent question, it began to fly back up to the ship. She yelped, holding onto it as the two flew right back into the powered-down ship through the broken hatch.

Once inside, she carefully placed the Time Piece back in the safe where it belonged. One of her computer screens pinged, sensing a bit of power returning. She hopped down to it and pressed the button on the screen while saying, "Boop." The lights soon turned back on and a faint humming was heard. The power to the Main Hall and Kitchen was restored.

She smiled, happy to see progress in repairs already in place. Now, to take care of the broken hatch. She looked at the hole and grabbed a few wooden planks lying around. Hammering them in place, she sealed up the hole.

"One down…" she let out a small sigh, "39 to go."

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Hope this chapter wasn't too scattered when she was grabbing yarn and meeting the Badge Seller. Then again, she is 9 years old. Kids tend to get easily distracted. I would know that best. xD Anyways, more to come as Hat Kid continues her adventure.


	3. Barrels of Fun With a New Friend

43 views in one day _and_ a fav? My goodness, readers. I'm shook. .-. I mean it does not seem like much, but compared to before, this means a lot to me. Even if you're just glancing in, I seriously appreciate it. Encourages me to write more for you all. So intentional support or unintentional, thank you! :) Alright. Let us continue!

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Hat Kid, using her new umbrella as a parachute, landed back in Mafia Town after spending some time on her ship to clean herself and the ship up. Power was still down in other rooms, but at least the kitchen was accessible and functioning properly. Now she can still get food and punish any bad food with her microwave.

After navigating out the alleyway she landed in, she strolled around Mafia Town, looking for the Mustached Girl she met that would help her find more of her Time Pieces.

"I'm serious! Put me down, you big idiot!"

Hat Kid stopped. That shout sounded familiar. She looked around, listening. The voice rang out again, "I'm not going anywhere with you! Let go!"

It sounded like it was coming from the northeast direction of the town. And it also sounded like MG. Worried for her safety, Hat Kid quickly hopped onto the wireline, then onto the rooftop. She followed the direction of MG's shouting, which was not hard since she was constantly shouting at whoever has her.

Her shouting became louder as Hat Kid hopped down from the rooftop. Her eyes widened with what she saw. A large pyramid of TNT barrels. On them were five Mafiosos. One of them was holding MG by her cape on top of the barrels, chuckling as she struggled. She was swinging her fists and kicking the air, getting angrier by the minute.

Umbrella in hand and determined to help her, Hat Kid came close. One of the Mafioso men near the bottom of the pyramid of barrels spotted her.

"Hey! Child! Shoo! Mafia can't have child witness when Mafia teaching lesson."

Hat Kid only crossed her arms. She wasn't moving from her spot. The Mafioso stared at her for a solid minute and she stared back. To increase the chance of helping MG, she taunted him. She stuck her tongue out and blew raspberries in insult. He was a little surprised and offended at the same time.

"This awkward for Mafia. Mafia not sure what to do."

The second Mafioso looked up at the Mafioso holding MG, who was now threatening to bite him if he didn't drop her. He asked, "Boss, what do we do with eyewitness?"

The leading Mafioso simply glanced down at Hat Kid and replied, "Teach her lesson, boys!" The two Mafioso nodded and hopped down from the pyramid of barrels, coming towards her and ready to punch.

"Come to papa Mafia!" One took a swing at her, but she ducked and whacked him a lot with her umbrella. He was out cold in seconds.

The second Mafioso was startled by the sudden attack on his friend. The shock then turned to anger. "Why you little…" He then tried to grab her, but she ran out of his reach and whacked him hard with her umbrella as well. Did not take too many hard hits for him to pass out.

The other two then tried to catch or hit her as well. Hat Kid started whacking with her umbrella, but unlike the last two, they learned how to block her attack. She could not just use the same one. It's too predictable.

She then decided to shake it up and jump on their heads. It stunned and hurt them, then she attacked. Soon the other two went unconscious as well.

"ENOUGH!" Hat Kid looked up, seeing the leading Mafioso glaring down at her. He continued, "Mafia won't bow to little girl! Prepare to feel Mafia's wrath!" He then threw MG to the ledge of the opening they were in.

She yelped and Hat Kid gasped. But just before she plummeted into the ocean, she grabbed the ledge. With a shaky exhale of relief, she began pulling herself up. Hat Kid quickly went to her side and grabbed her other arm, helping her up. MG was surprised by the assistance but smiled at her anyway.

"Thanks, kid." Her smile disappeared when she looked behind her. "Watch out!"

Hat Kid turned around and yelped as she jumped to the side, dodging a spiked barrel thrown in her direction. MG also jumped out of the way and quickly went to the side, watching the battle continue.

The leading Mafioso continued throwing barrels at Hat Kid, trying to demand her to stay still. She did not listen and continued running and dodging the barrels that were thrown at her. A few even rolled in her path and were on the verge of exploding. One barrel did throw her off as it bounced in her direction. She misjudged its landing and its spikes scratched her arm, tearing the sleeve a bit. She winced in pain but kept going with just as much speed and agility.

As MG watched from the side, her golden-orange eyes sparkled. She was admiring how this kid was capable of handling whatever was thrown at her. Even hurt, she was still going.

' _Maybe this weirdo's got more potential than I thought,_ ' she said in her thoughts.

Mafioso realized after about 10 barrels that this was going nowhere. He stopped throwing them and shouted, "This lead nowhere! Mafia need to take care of this Mafia style. Prepare to feel what Mafia do to old ladies!"

Hat Kid was getting really tired of the third person speaking. And wait. 'Old lady?' She's only 9-years-old! A bit insulted, she readied herself as the Mafioso finally came down from the top of the pyramid, ready to fight her himself.

She showed no hesitation as she started whacking him hard with her umbrella. After about four hits, she then jumped up and landed on his head a few times. Despite being dazed from the onslaught, he managed to land a punch on her. Right in the chest. She wheezed a bit, but stood her ground and continue fighting.

After a few more jumps on the head, she readied her umbrella as the Mafioso got close, growing weak. She summoned all her strength as she took a hard swing at him while shouting, "Batter up!"

With the solid swing, he was knocked off his feet, over the ledge and into the ocean. She was panting from exhaustion and mild pain but smiling victoriously. A small white glow then caught the corner of her eye as she looked at the top of the pyramid.

A Time Piece! The Mafioso must have had it while he was holding onto MG and it fell out of his pocket when he came down. She climbed up to the top of the barrel pyramid carefully and grabbed the Time Piece. With a warm smile, she placed it in her pockets.

"Psh. Can you believe them? What a bunch of losers." Hat Kid looked down from the pyramid and saw MG walking into view. She climbed down from the pyramid and stood in front of her.

MG had a small amused smile on her face as she crossed her arms. "Y'know, you're alright, new kid. Do you have a name?"

Hat Kid opened her mouth to answer...but then looked to the side, rubbing the back of her head. She seemed a bit shy about telling her name since it did not seem like an actual name to most people. The judgmental looks and remarks…

MG noticed her discomfort and her smile faded, showing a more sympathetic look. "No? You shy? That's cool. You're a 'less talk, more fighting' kind of girl, I take it."

Hat Kid smiled a little, happy MG did not press her about her name and understood her shyness. MG smiled back, then looked at the Time Piece sticking out of Hat Kid's pocket with curiosity.

"That thing you grabbed there...are you collecting them? Because I know where there's more of them. They've been raining from the sky ever since you arrived. I've seen the goons bring them to their headquarters waaay up there." As she told the last statement, she pointed up at the Mafia base that sat atop the geyser.

She then let out a gasp and excitement filled her eyes. "We should go up there and get your junk! It'll be fun! I'll take _any_ opportunity that involves messing up the Mafia! You with me, buddy?" She raised her hand up for a high-five.

Hat Kid was a little surprised MG was willing to help her get her Time Pieces back. Normally, when it comes to meeting new people, Hat Kid could rarely keep them around long enough for a conversation. Seeing that this girl was excited to help her out and fight against the goons of the town, Hat Kid couldn't help but smile.

She gave MG a good nod and high-fived her. This was going to be the start of a wonderful friendship. She could tell.

* * *

"Whoa...so this is your ship?"

"Yep." MG looked around the Main Hub in awe. She has never seen anything like this back in Mafia Town. The carpet, the technology, the automated vacuum.

After agreeing to have MG help her get her Time Pieces back, Hat Kid decided to let MG tag along with her back to the ship. She had to fix the sleeve of her favorite shirt and clean her scratch wound. While MG is here, they could discuss their plan in getting in Mafia HQ.

Once Hat Kid finished cleaning the wound and putting a cute bandage with a dinosaur pattern over it, she then stitched up her sleeve. After making a new hat that gave her the ability to go faster, which she found the yarn for on the way back here, she still had her crafting kit out.

Repaired and cleaned up, Hat Kid exited the kitchen and slid down the ladder. MG was standing at the large window, staring down at the planet below her. She seemed really thoughtful and Hat Kid almost did not want to snap her out of her thoughts, but they had a mission to get to.

Hat Kid cleared her throat and MG turned around, looking at her. Her eager smile returned as she asked, "Are you ready to take down some Mafia? Let's do it! I'm psyched!"

Hat Kid nodded and MG grabbed her hand, leading her to a chalkboard she scribbled on while Hat Kid was cleaning up. Hat Kid never really used that chalkboard in a while, so it was normally sitting in her large storage closet in the Main Hub. Guess MG found a use for it.

"So. Let's go over the plan. All assaults need a good plan, or it'll be a flop!" She pointed to one of the images she drew...which looked like her strangling a Mafioso with one of his own ties.

This image perturbed Hat Kid a bit as MG explained it. "First, we strangle them! Choke 'em and watch 'em _beg_ for mercy! That'll show them!"

"Uhh…" But before Hat Kid could voice her opinion, MG then stopped. "No, wait...strangling is too kind."

Hat Kid was about to feel relaxed that MG would not go as far as choking the Mafia to death until MG erased the image and began redrawing. She then shouted, "We smash them together into mush, and put their remains in a jar! THEN we sell the jar for pocket money! That'll be the ultimate salt in the wound!"

Hat Kid was not approving this. Not one bit. Sure, she wouldn't mind beating up anyone that had done her wrong, but would never go so far as to _kill_ them!

Once again, she was about to voice her opinion but was interrupted by MG as she flipped the chalkboard to the other side. A new image showed of a crude drawing of a Mafioso, only dressed differently than the other Mafiosos. He wore a sort of chef's outfit instead of a blue suit. Descriptions were written around him as they pointed out that he was, as MG described, "Bad, dumb, and probably smells."

MG then pointed out, "But first, we have to make it through their Mafia HQ. Once we find and dethrone the Mafia Boss, the rest will follow. Then our mush and jar party will be no problem!"

Hat Kid was not sure about that last statement, but the first two she seemed to follow. Sneak into Mafia HQ and dethrone the Mafia Boss. Sounds basic enough and like something she can do.

MG shoved the chalkboard away and shouted, "Now you're a killing machine! Let's go get them!"

Hat Kid nodded with a confident smile and the two girls hopped off the ship, ready to take their plan into action.


	4. It Came From Space and Landed in Mud

Landing back in Mafia Town, Hat Kid buttoned her yellow raincoat as MG put her hood up more. Gray clouds loomed in the sky as gentle rain poured on the town. It was currently nighttime as well, so there was not much visibility.

MG then turned to Hat Kid and said, "Right. So. I'm gonna see if I can get the cannon to work so we can head up there. You head around town and look for a few good jars that we can use to put all the Mafia mush in. See ya up there. Good luck!" She ran off, hopping from rooftop to rooftop.

Hat Kid let out a small sigh. She still wasn't on board with treating the Mafia like that, but seeing that she had time for herself, she may as well look around for any more Time Pieces she missed.

She hopped up onto the wirelines and started walking like she was on a tightrope. She tilted her head up to the sky, closing her eyes and smiling warmly. The gentle rain felt nice falling on her skin. Cool, but not cold.

She then looked around her surroundings. Some Mafiosos were out and about, but not a lot unlike earlier. The town actually seemed to give off a peaceful atmosphere with this setting.

She then spotted the Badge Seller in the same shadowy place. What was he doing out in the rain? He could get sick.

She hopped down from her wire and across the alleyway. He was sitting by a cozy small fire pit, trying to keep dry. She looked down at her umbrella and opened it up. Reason she didn't do it before was because unlike most people she knew, she enjoyed the feeling of rain. It never bothered her in the slightest.

She then approached him and hovered the umbrella over his glitchy head. Since he was sitting down, it made it easier for her to do so. He glanced over and looked up at the little girl that was helping him keep dry.

"Well, hello child. It seems our paths have crossed once more."

She simply replied with a wave accompanied by a small smile.

"What are you doing out in weather like this? You could get sick."

She put one hand on her hip. "I could ask you the same question."

She could not tell, but underneath his glitching mask, a small amused smile appear. "Simple. I have no real place to stay, so I just set up camp around wherever I travel. You never know when another traveler could come by and ask for a badge."

Hat Kid thought that over for a moment, then replied, "I guess that's true. ...How much was that hover badge again?"

He glanced back up at her and chuckled a tiny bit, then held it out to her. "100 pons."

She dug into her pockets, keeping the umbrella over his head, and pulled out 2 bags. Each had 50 pons in them. The two traded with each other and Hat Kid stuck the badge on her hat.

"You should head off. You must have something important to do."

"But...what about you?"

"I'll be fine, child. I'll find a dry place to rest tonight." Hat Kid smiled a bit and nodded. Right before she headed out, she shouted to him, "Take care!"

She continued skipping around town, looking for any signs of missing Time Pieces. None by the beach, the plaza, the docks, or the construction site. She decided to check up high as she hopped from rooftop to rooftop. She eventually reached a platform, where a rotating star-patterned pillar stood.

As she admired the pillar of sparkling star lights, she then slipped and face-planted into a mud puddle. She sat up with a moan, trying to rub her eyes so she could see.

Meanwhile, nearby, a Mafioso with a purple and yellow checkered tie and green glasses was looking over a mysterious object. It gave off a white glow and looked like a special hourglass. Hearing Hat Kid's moan, he turned around while saying, "What the...huh?!"

He froze with what he saw. A sort of slime-covered creature half his size was standing only 6 feet away from him. His blood ran cold as his eyes widened. It couldn't be…

Hat Kid finally managed to rub the mud out of her eyes and see. She spotted the Mafioso, who was holding one of her missing Time Pieces. She walked up to him to ask it back. Or she can always take it by force if needed.

The Mafioso shrieked when the little creature started walking towards him. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed as the slimy creature reached its arms out to grab him. "It's...It's slimy space alien!"

Hat Kid stopped with confusion. Slimy space alien? Where? She looked around, but the only ones present were her and the Mafioso. She was about to ask what he was talking about until she looked down at herself. She then understood what he was talking about. _She_ was the slimy space alien.

The Mafioso was panicking now. "Mafia saw spaceship! Mafia knew all along! MAFIA IS BEING INVADED BY ALIENS!"

Well, he's not wrong. She's not from this planet, but she liked to prefer herself as a cute and awesome alien rather than a slimy one. She just needed a bath because of the mud, that's all. But she huffed. She had no time to explain what she was. She needed that Time Piece. She started approaching once more.

"AHHHHHHHH!" The Mafioso ran from Hat Kid, jumping a large gap to a wooden platform. Hat Kid was a bit startled by the scream, but immediately chased after him. No way is he getting away with her Time Piece. She jumped across as well, giving herself a boost to give her some distance.

The Mafioso saw the alien chase him and he let out another scream. He took off running once more. He climbed to the top of a large stack of boxes. Surely the alien can't climb, right? He's safe, right?

Hat Kid huffed. This guy was making this so difficult. If he could just give her the Time Piece, then she'll leave him alone. Being that she could not climb up the way he did, she ran over to a smaller box and climbed up. She then hopped up onto a stack of concrete drainage pipes, to a small wooden platform, and finally on top of the stack of boxes the Mafioso was standing on.

Another scream rang out from the Mafioso. The alien _can_ climb! He ran away, hopping onto a suspended crate then onto a large banner. He kept going from one nearby wooden platform to the next. He then froze as he reached one last wooden platform. It had a wall up. Dead end.

Hat Kid was surprised his scream sounded more feminine this time. She just wanted her time Time Piece. She chased him once more, having no difficulty getting to him. She then spotted him reaching the last suspended wooden platform with a wall in the way. She's got him cornered.

The Mafioso's heart was beating rapidly as his large palms grew sweaty. He was also out of breath from running and screaming. His grip on the mysterious hourglass tightened as he remained looking to the wall. He wouldn't dare turn around. He knew the alien would be right behind him. What does it want from him?!

Hat Kid reached the platform and cleared her throat. She watched as the Mafioso turned around slowly, trembling. When he saw her, he backed up against the wall. She slowly began to approach.

"Leave Mafia alone, you monster!" The alien did not listen. It continued approaching slowly. Getting close, he could see more details of the beast. Its slimy exterior was dripping and glistening from the rain. Its ice cold turquoise eyes were looking right into his. His legs grew weak as he dropped to his knees, now practically begging for it to spare him. He then looked down at the mysterious hourglass he held in his cold, clammy hands.

"H-Here! If Mafia give you this, w-will you go away?" Hat Kid stopped. He held out the Time Piece to her in his trembling hands. She smiled. About time he decided to give it up. She did not want to keep chasing him down. She walked up and took it with a nod.

"Thank you." The voice of the alien sounded...younger and cuter than the Mafioso thought it would be. He then heard its footsteps fade and he looked up. The alien hopped away and out of sight. He let out an exhale of relief. Thank cod. It spared him.

Hat Kid decided to leave the poor Mafioso be after getting her Time Piece. Besides, MG is probably done getting that cannon prepared so they can reach the Mafia Base. Before she decided to head there, she needed to clean herself up. Looking down at herself, she could easily see why anyone could mistake her for an alien. Even in the rain, she was _covered_ in mud.

With the Time Piece's assistance, she headed back up to her spaceship for a good shower and a change in clothes. If she was going to take down the Mafia Boss, she'll need to be presentable for it.


	5. Down With the Mafia

Landing back on the star-patterned pillar, which she discovered later was called the Observatory, platform, clean from all the mud, Hat Kid spotted an open cannon that had an arrow on it pointing up. It was still raining, so Hat Kid buttoned her raincoat and jumped into the hatch of the cannon. The hatch closed and laid back, pointing straight up. Hat Kid was shot right out and she landed right on the platform sitting on the geyser. She got a good look at the building.

It looked like a sort restaurant or resort. Smiling Mafia and fish for giant welcoming cutouts and yet an ironic sign below it stating, "Go Away! (Please)." Least they were trying to be polite.

"You took your time!" Hat Kid, alerted by the familiar voice her friend MG, looked to the left side of the building. On top of the red and white tarp, MG was blocking with her arms some crumbled-up paper balls and empty tin cans being thrown at her. Below her were three Mafioso men throwing said items at her.

"Help me out here! Get these brutes off my case and we can go inside!" Hat Kid nodded and marched right up to the three Mafioso men. They paid no attention to Hat Kid as they focused on hitting MG and attempting to get her down so they could teach her a lesson. With one simple whack for each Mafioso, they were caught off guard and knocked out.

MG smirked and hopped down, giving Hat Kid a thumbs-up. "Good job, kid. Did you get the jars, by the way?"

Hat Kid's smile faded. Oh, that's right. MG wanted them for that plan Hat Kid never approved of. Better think of an excuse.

"Uh...I couldn't find any."

MG's smirk faded, but she simply shrugged while patting Hat Kid on the back. "No worries then. We'll probably find some inside. C'mon." She headed to the front door, leaving Hat Kid to exhale with slight relief and follow.

"Let's go! It's showtime, baby!" With an eager smile, MG ran in first. Hat Kid followed, just as eager as she was. Helping save an innocent town while finding more of her Time Pieces. It's just the kind of adventure Hat Kid was up for.

Looking around the lobby, Hat Kid already felt out of place. MG whispered to her while hiding behind a potted plant, "I'll sneak to the kitchen and meet you there. We'll sneak in through the vents to the Mafia Boss area."

Hat Kid nodded and watched as MG carefully snuck past any nearby Mafioso men, heading into a room with some smoke coming out of it. Hat Kid then looked around. Large golden statues of Mafioso men, a wooden bar, casino tables and lottery machines. It's so...grown-up. Hat Kid was already missing the comforts of her ship, especially her pillow fortress.

Her eyes then widen when she saw something peeking out of a Mafioso man's pocket. She could tell just by its faint white glow and the top of it that it was a Time Piece. As he entered the theatre, she quickly followed him, running up from behind. But she was then stopped by another Mafioso.

She looked up at him, a bit surprised. He looked down at her and said, "No little children allowed. Mafia only." She put her hands on her hips and pulled out her umbrella. But when she tried to hit him, he blocked all her attacks. This only made him angrier.

"Don't make Mafia call more security." She huffed and put her umbrella away. Guess she was going to have to find another way in. She then jolted, a bit startled when she felt something hit her in the back of the head. She looked down at her feet and saw it was an empty tin can.

Looking up, wondering who threw it, she saw one Mafioso throwing another piece of garbage at her while shouting, "Mafia do not take kindly to intruders!" Tilting her hat down with irritation, she pulled out her umbrella and marched right up to him. With a few good whacks, he was out cold. She then looked at the other Mafioso men that witnessed this.

Her irritated gaze silently asked, "Anyone else got a problem with me being here?" The Mafioso avoided eye contact and went about their business. With a small smile and nod, she disarms her trusty umbrella.

She continued looking around until she found a backroom with a large key. She wasn't sure what it was for, but hey. A key could open any door. The problem was it was behind a large cage. There was a large button on the floor to press that could open it though.

' _Too easy_ ,' she said in her thoughts with a smirk. But after she stepped on it and stepped off, the gate door closed. She soon realized it was a weighted button. Unless she could find something heavy to keep the button pressed on it, she wasn't getting that key.

With a sigh, she walks out and looks around for anything that could help. She doubted one of the Mafioso men would just stand on that button for her. They just want her out of the place and she scared off a good group of them. She spotted the wooden bar nearby and sat down in one of the stools to collect her thoughts and think. She thinks and reflects better when she sits down.

A Mafioso man looked down at her and asked, "What's troubling you, little girl? Mafia not know what child drink." She looked up at him and waved her hand a bit dismissively in a way of silently saying, "No thanks. I don't need a drink."

Understanding, the Mafioso quietly continued cleaning a glass cup with a cloth. A classic action by a bartender. Hat Kid was a bit surprised that he wasn't telling her to leave or doing anything violent to her. Though, she did appreciate it.

The Mafioso then continued talking as he said, "Whatever problem is, Mafia sure you can deal with it. You look like tenacious type, not leave problem alone." Hat Kid smiled a bit and nodded. It is true. She's always determined to see a problem through. That's why she's willing to traverse the whole planet just to find all her Time Pieces and get home.

The Mafioso continued. "Other little girl run into kitchen, if you are looking for her. She look like unruly type. Keep eye on her." Hat Kid gave a small nod in understanding. He is not wrong. MG does seem a bit...unruly, so he said. After all, she wanted to go so far in ending the Mafia, that she wanted to turn them into literal mush and sell it. She's still a friend to Hat Kid...but maybe she should make sure MG doesn't really do anything rash.

"Thank you." With a small smile and relaxed after the talk, Hat Kid hopped down from the stool and continued thinking. But she stopped once she saw something red fall from the ceiling. Approaching it, she saw it was a lobster. It rolled over off its back and scurried off.

She looked up, wondering where it came from. Then, she decided to investigate. Climbing up from the bar and to the support beams, she spotted someone on a wooden platform on the other side of the room. Curious, she avoided the scurrying rats and hopped over to the wooden platform.

The being that was there was an orange-furred cat that was wearing a chef's uniform and hat. She was standing on top of a box, working with a mildly messy stove. By her feet were two buckets of live crustaceans. That explains the lobster.

The cat turned to one of the buckets and stopped, seeing Hat Kid. Her golden cat-eyes looked at her and she said, "Oh! Hello there, little one." Her voice was gentle and with a southern accent.

Hat Kid waved to her with a small smile. She seemed nice. The cat smiled back and then said, "You're probably wondering why I'm up here cooking and not in the Mafia's 'kitchen,' right?"

Hat Kid nodded and the cat replied, "Well, the Mafia are _terrible_ at cooking! But fear not, Cooking Cat is here!" Cooking Cat. A simple name for Hat Kid, but appealing.

"I prepare the actual dinner up here and swap the food before anybody eats the Mafia's cooking. I'm fairly certain someone would die if they ate the Mafia-prepared food."

Hat Kid knew the Mafia were bad, but bad cooking? Sounds like it puts her microwave's punishing to shame. She then glanced down to one of the crustacean buckets, then an idea came. She could use one of them to weigh down the button and get the key.

"Um...could I use one of these?" Cooking Cat looked back at Hat Kid as she pointed to one of the crustacean buckets.

"Well...I suppose so. I think I'll only need one of them for tonight anyway. The second one is extra in case there's a dinner rush." Hat Kid smiled and picked up the bucket. With a quick "Thank you," she hopped down and headed to the back room.

Cooking Cat smiled a bit. ' _Cute kid_ ,' she said in her thoughts. She then turned back to the stovetop to finish preparing the food for tonight: lobster tail with shrimp and lemon.

Hat Kid placed the bucket of crustaceans on the button and grabbed the key. Holding it close, she then wondered what she should do with the crustaceans. She could not just leave them on the button forever. That would be a boring lobster life.

She picked up the bucket and looked at the Mafioso men's bathroom. With a small mischievous smirk, she poured out the crustaceans in there. "You're free!" They all scurried out of the bucket and invaded the bathroom. A few yelps came from inside as a couple Mafioso men were startled by the sea invaders.

Hat Kid chuckled a bit, then made her way to the kitchen. The moment she opened the door, however, she had to suppress a gag. The smell of burnt food and rotting fish filled the air as she looked around this disaster they call a kitchen. Smoke and ash filled the air, even though there was surprisingly still enough oxygen to provide for breathing. The countertops were extremely filthy and cockroaches ran along the floor.

"Yeah. Pretty horrid, isn't it?" Hat Kid spotted MG as she was standing by the freezer. She made her way over to her, keeping her nose plugged and key in hand.

"Oh sweet, you found a key! It's gotta work on this door, right?" Hat Kid looked at the freezer door. It had a large lock on it. Surely the key has to work. Hat Kid tried it out and the lock came right off. She was now glad she went ahead and got the key.

"Nice work! Go ahead, kid. Head inside and I'll keep guard here. Then I'll meet ya at the Mafia Boss's room." Hat Kid nodded and headed inside.

The air was breathable once more, but now it was really cold. Hat Kid shivered a bit and looked around for a vent. Mostly, there was a lot of fish in sight. She then resisted the urge to think of any fish puns. It was tough, (hali)but she managed to hold them back. She then spotted a vent up at the top left corner, just a couple platform hops up.

Getting up there was simple as she went from one stand to the next and crawled into the vent. A few paces in, she let out a yelp as she fell when the vent floor gave out. She then stumbled right onto...coins? A lot of gold coins and a few diamonds in piles all around her and she was sitting in one of the large piles. She was a bit shocked by the amount.

But she had no time to admire the loot. She had to find the Mafia Boss and her Time Piece. Getting up and brushing herself off, she walked out and peered around the corner. She was looking down a large hallway with red carpeting, golden pillars, more gold and diamond piles, and a throne. Sitting on the throne was a Mafioso man. He was dressed differently though. He had a full chef's outfit on with a regal red coat, his mustache was bushier than the regular Mafioso men, and he actually had hair growing on his head as well as a small beard.

' _That's gotta be him_ ,' said Hat Kid in her thoughts. She walked out and began to approach. The Mafia Boss noticed her presence and snapped his fingers. A gate blocked her path and two Mafioso men appeared behind her, ready to fight. She huffed and turned around, umbrella in hand. With some good whacks, both were out cold.

The Mafia Boss motioned one of his Mafioso guards to lower the gate. He nodded and did as he was told. Hat Kid continued approaching and the Mafia Boss hopped down from his throne. He put his hands on his hips and looked down at her with a stern expression.

"So...it is you! Ever since you landed in Mafia Town, it's been raining with these magical hourglasses. You must be very lost, kid with the hat. You're in the heart of our town, standing before the most powerful man you will ever witness! Everything you've ever owned belongs to me now. Including this hourglass piece." He held up a Time Piece in his muscular hands. He continued, "If you want it, we'll have to settle it true Mafia style!"

Hat Kid jolted as the lights then went out. She was then picked up by someone strong. Probably one of the Mafioso men. She struggled but did not have to for long as she was thrown into a new area.

"Lights!" Hat Kid flinched and squinted as a spotlight shone on her. Readjusting to the change in light, she looked around. She was on a stage and in front of her was the Mafia Boss. He had a machete in each hand.

"Action! It is...showtime!" Hat Kid stood back on her feet as she saw the Mafia Boss get into a battle stance. She quickly armed her trusty umbrella.

"Game on," she said softly to herself.

He spun right towards her, arms out and machetes armed. She quickly jumped over him and noticed a faint blue lining around him. That must mean he's vulnerable to being hit. Once she was over his head, she whacked him hard with her umbrella.

That threw him off and he hopped off stage. He then whistled, looking to the side. Hat Kid looked in his general direction and noticed a Mafioso pulling backstage switches. Above her, sandbags that theatres use for their weighing system were dropping. She quickly dodged them, holding one arm up to block any sand from hitting her eyes if she came too close.

The Mafia Boss jumped back on stage and began spinning in one place. Electricity buzzed through his body. He then shouted, "Super charge!" The electricity he charged up came out in blasts right at Hat Kid. She quickly jumped and dodged each blast. The Mafia Boss grew dizzy and was stunned. Seeing the blue outline, she had a chance to hit him. She ran up and gave him a few good whacks with her umbrella.

The Mafia Boss snapped out of his daze and jumped back, away from Hat Kid. He growled angrily and jumped backstage. He then threw his machetes like boomerangs at her. She dodged and he quickly jumped right at her, attempting to crush her. She quickly spotted him and dodged, then whacked him once more after ducking the machete that was coming right back at her.

He grunted and hopped off-stage once more. He then smirked evilly as he pointed behind her. "Don't get too comfortable, kid with the hat." Hat Kid turned around and gasped. It was MG! She was suspended in the air backstage, tied up tightly by rope. She was struggling to break free.

"I've got your friend captured. And soon, you will both perish!"

"Let go of me, you psycho!" Hat Kid, now more motivated in taking down the Mafia Boss, gripped her umbrella handle tightly. No one messes with her friends. More sandbags were dropped and a Mafioso even charged at her, but she managed to dodge them all.

The Mafia Boss hopped back on stage, doing the boomerang-machete trick once more. This time, Hat Kid still managed to hit him but did get hit at the back of the head by one of the machetes. Thankfully, only the handle hit her and not the sharp part of it. Still hurt though.

The Mafia Boss growled once more, angry she was still standing. He then whistled once more. A large group of Mafioso men hopped onto the stage and began joining together, linking arms and elbows. Hat Kid was watching this formation with confusion and mild shock.

"Mafiaaaaa Ball!" On top of this ball of Mafioso men, the Mafia Boss stood on top and began trying to roll Hat Kid over. She yelped and looked for a way to dodge. She found an opening and ducked into it, narrowly dodging being crushed.

"Hat Kid! Hit him already!"

"How can I hit him? He's all the way up there!" She narrowly dodged getting rolled over once more, trying to figure out how to traverse her way up the ball of Mafioso men. An idea then came. She could try climbing once she reached the gap.

Once the ball of Mafioso came rolling right her, she tried to stay in the gap and reach the Mafia Boss, but one of the Mafioso men pushed her out.

"Climb up, you idiot!"

"I'm trying!" She was getting a bit irritated now. She tried her idea again, but this time whacked any hands that tried to punch her out. Once she reached the top, she smacked the Mafia Boss hard. He was knocked right off and the Mafia Ball broke.

The Mafia Boss was not going to stand down that easily though. He began to do his electricity charge attack, but this time, he added more electric blasts while shouting, "Ultra charge!" Now sparks were bouncing towards her. Hat Kid narrowly dodged all of the attacks.

But he didn't stop there. "MEGA CHARGE!" Now red rapid electric bursts came right at her. Hat Kid's eyes widened and she swiftly tried dodging. She got hit by one of the blasts though. It stung really bad as her whole body ached. But she saw the now dizzy Mafia Boss. She could tell he was growing weak.

She ran right up and whacked him hard. He snapped out of his dizzy state and tried his spinning machete attack. She jumped out of the way and charged right at him, giving one last good smack with her umbrella. The Mafia Boss slowed. "It...cannot be…"

He then fell over, finally knocked out and defeated. Hat Kid saw the Time Piece he had earlier fall out of his pocket. She took it with a victorious smile.

"Great job, kid! ...Now uh, you mind getting me down?" Hat Kid looked up at MG and nodded. She ran backstage and flipped a few switches. A couple made a few extra sandbags fall down, but one of them finally lowered MG to the stage. Hat Kid untied her and the two turned to the Mafioso crowd.

The Mafioso men, seeing their leader fall, gasped when the girls turned to them. They then screamed and scattered out of the theatre. MG smirked, glad they scared them off. Hat Kid was a bit surprised but looked down at her Time Piece with a tiny smile.

MG, now curious about the value of this item, snatched it from her and tossed it up and down from her hands. "So what do these things do, anyway? Are they some sort of rare collector's item for _nerds_?"

She then gave it a good large toss in the air, but it then stumbled out of her hand and was about to hit the ground. Hat Kid panicked and tried to frantically catch it. But it hit the ground and cracked a bit before she could stop it. The second it hit the ground, all time seemed to freeze, then rewind.

MG made a tossing motion with her hand as she said, "Are they some sort of rare c...wait, huh?" She stopped and looked at the slightly cracked Time Piece. She had a strong sense of deja vu go through her mind as she tried to recall and understand what just happened.

She was tossing it in her hand a second ago, then when it fell, she was doing it again. Did it just…?

Hat Kid rubbed the back of her head. This could not be good. The Time Piece wasn't meant to be used that way. By cracking or breaking a Time Piece, one can alter time. And that alone is dangerous to cause a world's end. Now MG is figuring that out.

MG looked down at the Time Piece with wide eyes. "Whoa, WHAT?!" She picked it back up and looked at Hat Kid. "Wha...did, um...did you know about this?"

Hat Kid took the Time Piece out of MG's hand. No way was she holding it after handling it like that. Gingerly holding it in her hands, she glanced down with slight worry, then looked back up and nodded.

MG now looked down in thought. Then an excited smile formed on her face. She looked back up at Hat Kid and jumped up. "This is crazy! Do you even realize what could be done with these?!"

She stepped more forward, arms waving enthusiastically. "We could make it so that you never got punched in the face by the Mafia that one time!" Hat Kid recalled that. Before the barrel battle, one Mafia man offered to play patty-cake with her. Curious about the idea, the two played until it got fast-paced. Before she knew it, she got punched in the face and knocked right into the water. That was not a pleasant experience. He got an umbrella to the face after that.

MG continued, getting more excited by the second. "We could beat up the Mafia, travel back in time, and then beat them up again!" She then wrapped her arm around Hat Kid's shoulder. "No. Wait. We could make it so the Mafia never _arrived_ on the island!"

A spotlight then shone upon them as MG held Hat Kid close, pointing up. "Wait, wait, wait, even better! We could be crime-fighting time travelers!" She looked to Hat Kid, curious to see what she thought of this idea. Her smile disappeared though when she saw Hat Kid step back out of her grasp with a solemn expression.

Hat Kid looked down at her Time Piece. As fun as it sounded to be a part of a crime-fighting duo, using the Time Piece in such a manner isn't right. She didn't want to disappoint her friend, but she couldn't just alter time with it. When one toys with a Time Piece or time itself, anything could happen. What if it was used incorrectly and it led the world to chaos and destruction? What if the Mafia became stronger or a war broke out?

She had no choice. She looked up at MG and shook her head no. This Time Piece, as well as the others she has, will not be used for her plans. She then put it in her pockets.

MG was shocked then her shock turned to anger. They have a chance to finally get rid of the Mafia and any other bad guy in the world and she was going to keep the Time Piece for herself and her own selfish needs?

"Wait, what?! This doesn't make any sense! You have _all_ this power, and you're not gonna use it to fight evil?!"

Hat Kid crossed her arms and shook her head no once more. She made up her mind and there was no changing it. As much as it secretly hurt her a little to deny her friend of her wishes, Hat Kid swore to herself that she would use the Time Pieces wisely and safely. If she and MG were going to take down the Mafia or other baddies, they'll have to do it _without_ altering time itself.

MG was silent. She couldn't believe it. Hat Kid had this power to alter time _itself_ , and she'd rather use it for her own personal gain. At least MG's plan to use it to fight evil sounded like it did more good. After the Mafia invaded her home and practically ruined the hometown she grew up in, she swore to herself that the Mafia was going to fall, by any means necessary. They took everything from her...and they were going to pay.

Now, her own friend and ally in the rebellion gone against her. Anger boiled in MG's heart as she turned her back to Hat Kid.

"If you're not gonna use them to fight evil...then I will."

Hat Kid's eyes widened with shock as MG went right up to her face and pointed at her. "I'm not going to let this island remain as Mafia Town! _I'll_ collect all the Time Pieces for myself! You have my word on it!"

With that stated, MG hopped off stage and ran away. Hat Kid watched her go. Her expression showed a mix of mild sorrow and great concern.

She put her hands in her pockets, looking down and wondering if she made the right decision. Her eyes then widen a bit. Her pockets felt a bit lighter. She still had her Time Piece, but half of her pons were gone. Looking back up, she now realized her relationship with MG.

Her first ever best friend just became her first enemy.


	6. Rift Repair and Pieces of the Past

"Boop."

Pressing the button on the monitor next to the door on the right, the power turned back on in the Machine Room. 4 Time Pieces in hand and 36 to go. Hat Kid let out a small sigh, remembering MG's words.

" _I'll_ _collect all the Time Pieces for myself! You have my word on it!_ "

If Hat Kid didn't need to find all the Time Pieces fast before, she sure does now. If MG gets her hands on any of them, she knew that given her reckless behavior, she'll mess up time itself.

She then jumped, startled by a loud noise. Her main computer then beeped with an alarm. The male voice announcer rang out, " **Warning. Warning. Time Rift detected.** "

Time Rift? That doesn't sound good. She ran down to the Machine room, where she kept some maintenance manuals. As far as she knew, she could recall seeing a book that involved the care of Time Pieces. Time Rift was faintly written in that book. It has to be.

Hat Kid checked her desk and spotted the Time Piece manual. She flipped through the pages while running back to the Main Hub. She checked the index and found "Time Rifts" on pages 36, 72, and 84. She checked page 36. They only mentioned the name, so that was no help. She then checked 72. A whole section on it. She began reading it over.

'Time Rifts are tears in reality that only appear when a Time Piece is damaged and/or broken. If Time Rift is not sealed, time itself will be altered and corrupted. When a Time Rift is formed, the Time Piece that caused it will automatically be sent into the rift for repairs. In order to seal the Time Rift, one needs to locate the repaired Time Piece and bring it back to reality. Blue time rifts only require one to gain the Time Piece. If a purple unstable Time rift appears, follow these steps:

1\. Locate the tear and enter it cautiously.

2\. Navigate through the tear to the source.

3\. Destroy the rift and grab the repaired Time Piece.

4\. Exit before it fully seals.'

Hat Kid nodded, closing the book and tossing it to the side. She ran up to the main computer and pressed a few buttons. The computer searched for the rift's main coordinates and sent a picture. It looked like it was inside a broken pipe in an alleyway. The rift was small and looked like a sort of swirling blue orb. She quickly headed to the hatch and hopped down to the planet, ready to land in Mafia Town.

* * *

Navigating through the town, she eventually jumped down into an alleyway. Water flowed through the jagged rocks as she cautiously stayed on her toes. She then looked up and spotted the same broken pipe in the picture. She quickly climbed up and, sitting right in front of her, was the Time Rift.

She questioned how she was going to enter it since it was a bit smaller than her, but she carefully stepped closer. She slowly reached her hand out and touched the Time Rift. Then, all around her, time seemed to have froze. She then yelped as a large flash of light filled her vision.

When she opened her eyes, they widened with wonder and shock. She wasn't in Mafia Town anymore. She stood on a large white and blue-jeweled platform with a lamppost. Ahead of her were more of these platforms. Some rotated and looked like gears while others opened like drawers from inside a large wall. All around her was the blue vast time-space itself and an underwater sort of atmosphere as bubble floated around her.

This was so new and strange, but Hat Kid had no time to dwell on it. Just far ahead, she spotted the repaired Time Piece. All she needed to do was navigate through the platforms without falling and grab the Time Piece. Should be simple since she has had some practice.

Cracking her knuckles, straightening her hat and tucking her umbrella away, she began jumping and running. She hopped from one opening platform to the next until she reached a thin platform. Holding her arms out for balance, she walked through with ease and onto the next opening platforms. She then cautiously ran along a rotating cubed one, jumping a few times to keep from slipping down. She reached the gears and climbed her way up.

Once she reached the top, she caught her breath and looked up at the Time Piece. With an accomplished smile, she grabbed it. It then flashed and a bright light filled her vision once more. When she reopened them, she found herself back in Mafia Town in the broken pipe. The Time Rift was gone and she had the Time Piece in hand.

With a smile, she pocketed the Time Piece and continued looking around for any more signs of Time Pieces.

* * *

A Golden Vault. That's gotta be promising. She already opened a red, blue and green one before. Golden ones mean great value, as far as she knew. With an eager smile, she began looking around for all the code slips.

They were harder to navigate than the previous vaults. She found one golden slip floating near the waterslides. When she grabbed it, she decided to go down the waterslides just for fun. They went really fast and she went right into the ocean with a giggle. A couple Mafioso men watched this with amusement.

She found another one just above the wiring. Walking along it while balancing her umbrella in one hand as if she was doing a sort of circus act, she jumped up and grabbed the slip while catching her umbrella with her other hand.

She found another one far down at the docks. This one was the hardest to find of them all. If the Badge Seller did not point out where he saw a golden slip of paper flew by, she probably would have never found it. Just before it floated down into the ocean, she quickly swiped it and pocketed it.

Finally, she found the last one in an abandoned home. There was a small fire pit, a hole in the roof and a few broken decorations. Hat Kid grabbed the slip and was about to exit until she spotted something in the corner that caught her eye. She walked over and picked it up. A few broken shards of glass fell to the floor as she held a picture frame.

In the picture were a mother, father, and a little girl. The mother had hazel eyes and beautiful long blond hair. The father had blue eyes and short blond hair. The little girl in the picture-...

No...it couldn't be.

Hat Kid took a second look. The little girl wore a light rose dress and purple highlights. Her blond hair was at her shoulders and she had golden-orange eyes.

"Mustache Girl," Hat Kid quietly asked herself. She wanted to not believe it, but here it was. A picture of her and her family. The only thing that the younger version of MG had that the current MG has is no mustache. She seemed so...happy in this picture.

But if this is her...then where was her mom and dad? Was this her home? She looked around the abandoned house. Wrecked, like it was raided. Hat Kid then recalled MG's spite against the Mafia.

" _I'm not going to let this island remain as Mafia Town!_ "

Hat Kid finally realized MG's hate to the Mafia. This was her home. The Mafia came and took it over. Her family had to leave...but somehow MG got left behind. They took everything from her.

Hat Kid felt a pang of sympathy in her heart as she quietly set down the picture. She left the house, making sure to not damage it more than it already is. Looking back at it from the rooftop, she let out a small sigh.

"One day...maybe I can help her properly."

She then took off back to the golden vault. Once she inputted the code, the vault opened right up. Her eyes lit up when she saw that inside was a Time Piece. A Mafioso must've locked it in there for safe keeping. Well, it's hers now. She took the Time Piece and smiled. Two in one day. She's making good progress.

* * *

An alarm rang out as Hat Kid looked up from her diary. She was just writing down her thoughts from inside her pillow fort until she heard it. That was the intruder alarm. Fearing it was MG busting in to steal her Time Pieces, she scrambled out of her pillow fortress and ran to the Main Hub.

"Oh, hello dearie!" Hat Kid stopped and exhaled with relief, seeing it wasn't MG. It was Cooking Cat. Wait. What was she doing on her ship?

Hat Kid gave her a small shy wave and walked up to her. Cooking Cat stated, "What a lovely spaceship you have here! Sorry for the break-and-entering. I just really wanted to see what an alien spaceship is like."

Hat Kid smiled a little and shook her head while putting her hands on her hips. Then again, Hat Kid would probably do the same if she wasn't the alien herself.

"You know, I expected aliens to be more green and probably with a thirst for flesh. But I guess you aliens come in all shapes and sizes, huh?" Hat Kid couldn't help but giggle to that. Green and with a thirst for flesh? That's ridiculous. Sounds like something you would see in a movie.

"Hey, if you're looking to explore our planet, you'll need to understand it first. Otherwise, you won't know if you're stepping on grass or quicksand! Ever heard of relics?" Hat Kid tilted her head, with curiosity and confusion. Relics? Does she mean those weird artifacts she seems to find? She did find one piece of a sort of strange artifact back in Mafia Town.

Cooking Cat smiled at her curiosity. "Don't know what those are? Fear not, Cooking Cat is here!" She spotted the pushed aside chalkboard and guided Hat Kid to it. She began drawing on it while explaining.

"I'll let you have this burger cushion for free." She hands her a sort of plush bun and lettuce pillow. It felt like the exact same texture as the patty and bottom bun Hat Kid found in town. She looked up at Cooking Cat, interested to know more.

"You can identify these things if you put them together on a sort of podium. If you place them in the correct order, you might be able to make sense of it. If you are able to identify it, something great might happen! You never know, so keep an eye out for relics." Hat Kid nodded in understanding, then went over to an old podium to the side of the Main Hub.

The ship came with a few of these podiums scattered around, but she never found a use for them. But now that she could finally use them, she began putting together the "burger cushion." She placed the relic piece she found first on the podium and put the second piece of it on top. Once it sparkled, Hat Kid realized it must've been put together correctly.

She began to put down a label and a description while Cooking Cat said, "While you're working on that if you don't mind, I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." She went upstairs and entered the kitchen.

Hat Kid stepped back after writing down the title and description, admiring her work. She called this burger cushion: "The Earthling Sitting Device." Its description read: "Research concludes that this thing is very soft to sit on. So soft, that the only logical conclusion is that these are chairs of this planet. It is not a snack. I tried it. It tasted like fabric."

Hat Kid then hopped onto the burger cushion and was surprised when she bounced. It was not only soft but bouncy? She giggled and continued bouncing, doing a few poses in the air.

However, her giggles did not last long as she looked down at the planet. The normally blue ocean would be seen surrounding Mafia Town even from where she was, but it was...orange. And hot. It looked faintly like...fire and lava.

Concerned with what was going on, Hat Kid hopped off the burger cushion and readjusted her hat. Time to see what was going down in Mafia Town.


	7. Heating Things Up

Hat Kid's eyes widened as she quickly looked for a place to land in this now-hazardous area. All around where the beautiful blue ocean flowed? Lava.

Lava was spouting and flowing everywhere in Mafia Town. Some of the buildings were even submerged in lava. Some unlucky Mafioso men were dealing with burning behinds, trying to get to higher ground.

Hat Kid then spotted a familiar Mafioso. The glasses one that was scared of her when she fell in a mud puddle. She quickly opened her umbrella and hovered to the observatory platform. Some Mafioso men were huddled together at the same platform for refuge as well.

"Oh, look at mess! This is terrible!" Once Hat Kid landed, the glasses-wearing Mafioso turned to her, desperation in his eyes.

"Child with hat! Please, you must help us! Someone turn on all faucets in Mafia Town...same faucets that control the town volcano!"

Whoever thought that was a good idea? Plugging in giant faucets around town that flow hot lava from a volcano.

The Mafioso noticed her judgemental expression and added, "We only added faucets to ward off volcano lava. Was it you that turned them on?" Hat Kid shook her head no. She has seen those faucets around but never thought of turning them on. Her focus was mainly getting her Time Pieces.

"No? Mafia think he saw little girl turn on all faucets." Hat Kid's eyes widened. Mustache Girl. She looked out at the burning town and Mafiosos in peril. Of course, she would go so far as to burn this town to the ground if it meant getting rid of the Mafia. Don't get Hat Kid wrong. The Mafia are jerks and what they did wasn't nice, but they don't deserve to burn in lava or have their mush sold in jars. It just never sat well with her.

"Little hat kid, can you save Mafia Town by turning off all faucets? Please? If you close all, maybe water start flowing again." He and a couple other Mafioso men looked at her with pleading eyes. They seemed really desperate.

She eventually let out a sigh and nodded to them, showing a small smile. The Mafioso men clapped with a smile. The one wearing the glasses said, "Good luck, child. And stay on wires. Lava is very hot and painful."

Hat Kid nodded and started walking across the wires. This was taking her tightrope walking to a whole new level. Now instead of sidewalk or water below her, there was lava. A few Mafioso men around the area started directing her to one of the faucets while trying to stay on the rooftops or hang on for dear life.

She spotted one nearby, just sticking out of a two-story building above the marketplace. She hopped down and tried to push it right. It did not budge. With a huff, she whacked it with her umbrella out of irritation. To her surprise, it actually turned the faucet knob. She gave it a couple more whacks and it turned off. The lava stopped flowing from it.

With an accomplished smile, she climbed up and headed to the next one. She then stopped, seeing it way out in the lava ocean on its own platform. There were only a few platforms she could jump across to get to it. With a shaky deep breath, she started jumping her way across. The platforms were unstable and close to falling down into the lava. This only made Hat Kid more anxious.

But she managed to keep her footing and reach the faucet. She whacked it a few times with her umbrella and shut it off. Now getting back, she managed to hop on the same platforms. Her landing was almost short when about to reach the jagged rocks and she yelped, quickly catching herself.

Sizzling was heard when she pulled herself up and she glanced behind her. She yelped, seeing the tip of her cape was on fire, and quickly stomped on it. The fire was put out and she exhaled with relief.

Just across a patio was another faucet. She reached it easily and turned it off with a few whacks from her umbrella. Just down by the docks, she spotted another. Turned that one off. Then she spotted one on the other side of the lighthouse, sitting in the middle of the lava ocean. She sighed and went down to the part of the beach that wasn't submerged with lava.

A few floating barrels and some dangerously close wiring. That was her way of getting there. As she carefully walked along the wiring, she kept her gaze forward as she was sweating. Being this close to lava was overbearingly hot and she had to focus on not passing out. Once she saw the faucet, she immediately hopped off and whacked it. Once it turned off, Hat Kid took a deep breath and went back the way she came.

The last one on the Bell Tower. Hat Kid did not realize how dehydrated she was until she stumbled her own feet. She can't stay conscious for long. Shaking her head, she put on a determined expression and climbed up to the tower. She then fell onto the faucet and turned it off.

The lava then began to disappear as the geyser started spouting out water again. Hat Kid tilted her head up, feeling the cool mist and little droplets fall onto her face. A satisfied smile showed as she appeared more awake. She headed back to the observatory spot and noticed all the Mafioso men moved up to the Mafia HQ building. She hopped in the cannon and joined them.

She was surprised by the warm welcome she got when she landed. Banquet tables and cheering Mafioso men clapping for her. The glasses-wearing Mafioso man shook her little hand with his large one while saying, "You did it! Small child save Mafia Town! Now Mafia no longer need to eat lava for breakfast...amazing!"

Hat Kid chuckled a bit at that. Pretty sure that if someone ate lava, it would be like eating some toxic hot soup. Their tongues would pretty much melt. The Mafioso then held out, to her surprise, a Time Piece.

"Please. Take this as trophy. You are truly hero of Mafia Town!" Hat Kid's eyes sparkled and she smiled, taking the Time Piece. The Mafia cheered for her and Hat Kid smiled brightly, holding her Time Piece up with pride. Feeling like a hero is officially one of the best feelings in the galaxy.

A small figure peeking out from around the building huffed. They tucked their hood up and grumbled.

"Some hero. She's helping the Mafia. That just makes her a bad guy." They then turned to another figure behind them, all tied up. "Speaking of bad guys…"

"I've got something special planned for you." The Mafioso man's eyes widened with fear as the figure chuckled darkly, approaching.

* * *

Hat Kid felt sweaty and gross from that mission, but happy she was able to help out. Even if the Mafia are jerks, no one deserves to have their home taken from them.

...Home. Hat Kid looked up at her main monitor screen. 7 Time Pieces out of 40. She still wasn't going to get there anytime soon. She let out a small sigh and took off her hat.

"Glad you're back, pumpkin!" Hat Kid looked up and saw Cooking Cat exit the kitchen. "I'm just preparing dinner. Say, do you prefer steak or-" She stopped, seeing Hat Kid.

"Wh...what happened, dearie?" She headed down the stairs and went right up to her. Land sakes, she was sweating up a storm. She looked really tired, hot, and her cape was a bit burnt.

"Mafia...lava…" was all Hat Kid could muster. Cooking Cat sighed. She knew that setting those faucets up would only cause trouble.

"Say no more. Come on, let's get you fixed up." She guided Hat Kid into the kitchen and set her down at the table. She then went to the sink and dampened a washcloth with cold water. She set it on Hat Kid's forehead, having her hum with a small smile. It felt soothing.

"Keep that on your head. I'll grab you some water." Cooking Cat went to the cupboards and grabbed a tall glass, then back to the sink to fill it with fresh water. She handed it to Hat Kid and she drank it greedily.

"Good, just stay hydrated, little one. Now, I must know for dinner, do you prefer steak or salad?" Hat Kid finished the glass and looked at her.

"Steak?"

"I see. Well, I do hope you won't go around feasting on any flesh then." With a small smirk, she gently rubbed Hat Kid's head and went to the stove. Hat Kid gave a very tired chuckle to that.

"...Cooking...cat?"

"If it makes it more simple, dear, you can call me Cookie for short. My nieces do so." Hat Kid smiled a bit, finding the thought of little kittens calling her Cookie adorable.

"Okay...Cookie? How come...you're cooking for me…? I can do it myself…"

"Well, consider it a sort of "welcome to our planet" gesture. Besides, you seem so busy doing whatever it is you're doing down there that I've gotta make sure a young lady like you is eating plenty."

Hat Kid decided to leave it there, but she quietly appreciated the care. Back home, she mainly tried to cook for herself. Emphasis on tried. There was this stranger back home that taught her how to cook a few things, but she's still learning.

A large plate of steak was then placed in front of her. Hat Kid's eyes sparkled. It looked really good to eat and it smelled amazing. Cookie smiled as she watched the child eat away at her cooking. Seeing her enjoy her food reminded Cookie of what she loved the most in her job.

Once the steak was gone, Hat Kid's eyes drooped and she began to fall asleep. Cookie noticed this and picked her up. "Alright, let's get you to bed, little one."

Carrying a sleepy Hat Kid into her room, she set her on her bed. The power was still off, so it was pretty dark in Hat Kid's room and the doors took some prying. Setting her hat on the dresser, Cookie rubbed Hat Kid's head. She smiled a bit, happy to feel that it was less hot than before.

"Rest well, buttercup. You deserve it."

.

.

.

Two chapters in one day? I'm really getting creative lately, huh? Of course, all you guys looking into this and sending supportive messages is amazing. I believe you guys are helping with this motivation, so thank you! x) Anyways, this chapter isn't too long and it's pretty late for me. I should be sleeping by now, but I wanted to get this up. We're coming close now to the next part of the planet: Dead Bird Studios. Also, Cooking Cat is like a mama cat. So sweet. x3 Anyways, until next chapter! ;)


	8. Mafia's Past

Hat Kid mumbled as she turned to her side. In the Main Hub, she heard beeping. However, she did not want to get up just yet. It wasn't until she heard: " **Warning. Warning. Time Rifts detected** ," when she decided to get up. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, then grabbed her hat off the nightstand.

After prying the doors open, she entered the Main Hub and walked up to the main computer. "Boop." With a push of a button, she saw what time rifts have appeared. There was a blue one in a closed-off entrance area and a-...

Hat Kid blinked and rubbed her eyes once more, checking to make sure if she was really awake seeing this. A purple one. Right at the beach where the waterslides were. That is not good. Purple time rifts mean they're becoming more unstable. If it isn't fixed soon…

Now more awake and ready to get going, Hat Kid headed into the kitchen to make a quick slice of toast and head out. As she popped the bread into the toaster, she noticed a note on her fridge. Tilting her head, she read it. It was from Cooking Cat.

" _Went back to Mafia Town. Someone's gotta keep the citizens from eating the Mafia's cooking. If you ever need me, just give me a call, dearie. Love, Cooking Cat (Cookie)_ "

Hat Kid smiled a little bit. That's right. She was here last night. That steak she made was probably the best meal Hat Kid has ever had in a long time. Normally back at home, she would just help herself to whatever's in the pantry. It was mainly junk or there was not much left. She would ask her parents for more, but…

Hat Kid shook her head. She wasn't going down that road in memory lane. Hearing the toast pop out of the toaster, she grabbed it and quickly munched on it. Then, grabbing her umbrella from the table, she jumped right out the hatch and flew down to Mafia Town.

Getting the blue time rift Time Piece was quick and easy. It was like the last one, only a bit easier for the platforming. It was entering the purple one that mildly shocked her.

Instead of being in the vast blue time-space area with bubbles and white platforming, it was gray. Gray space, gray platforms, and an odd glowing hatch. No Time Piece in sight of this single island.

Hat Kid looked around the dreary area and stopped when her turquoise eyes locked onto one thing. A Mafioso man. An actual Mafioso was in here with her. He did not seem scared or grumpy though, unlike some of the other Mafiosos. She quietly approached him.

"Um...hello?"

She almost jumped when he responded to her. "Hello, little child. This is Mafia time rift. Time Piece hit Mafia in head, and now time rift filled with Mafia thoughts and dreams."

This was new. Hat Kid didn't recall anything in the book stating about a time rift being based on someone's dreams and thoughts. Then again, she did just skim through it. That does explain why everything looks gray and dim.

"This time rift is simple. Simple like Mafia, just how Mafia like it. Rules of time rift: if you fall, you start over. You need Rift Pons to go deeper."

She tilted her head. Rift Pons? To answer her silent question, Mafia held one out to her. Unlike regular pons, these ones glowed gold and had a mini crown in them. Hat Kid now wondered if they are of any value in reality.

"Here. You can have this one. Mafia opened up hatch already and you can hold onto it for the others." Hat Kid smiled and took it while saying in a cute, polite manner, "Thank you."

"Please, tread carefully in Mafia time rift. Mafia like to experience past." Hat Kid nodded and was about to hop into the hatch until she saw something out at the corner of her eye. She looked over and saw a glowing sheet of paper. Curious, she ran over and grabbed it. It was a blurred out picture.

Believing it could be useful later, she pocketed it and decided to keep her eye out for any more of these mysterious pictures. She ran back to the hatch and hopped inside.

She landed on another gray platform island. A large hatch with a digital "3" stood in the middle of it all. Around her were gray ocean waters, a single ship, and piles of fish. Plugging her nose from the fishy smell, she looked around to find Rift Pons. In the vast gray area, they were not hard to spot with their golden glow. Once she collected all 4 in the area plus another mystery picture, the hatched opened up and she moved to the next area.

Now in the next area, there were Mafioso men walking around. Some were getting on the boat Hat Kid spotted earlier while others patrolled around. The ones that patrolled around did not seem as friendly as the one she met when she entered the rift. She also saw in their hands a Rift Pon.

Pulling out her umbrella, she ran up and tried to whack it out of their hands. That only started a fight for her. She easily beat them and got the pons though. After finding the rest she needed to proceed, plus two mysterious pictures, she moved to the next area.

She found herself on a moving ship. The Mafia Boss, or a representation of him, was standing at the bow while other Mafioso men were smiling bright and even dancing like ballerinas. Hat Kid laughed a bit at this. She then spotted a mystery picture floating on top of the ship. She hopped up and grabbed it, then saw the Mafioso from the beginning below her. She hopped down to him and waved.

"Hello, child. Mafia has opened entrance to next floor for you." Hat Kid smiled warmly and replied, "Thank you!" It's odd for her to say it, but the Mafia aren't all jerks like she believed.

Hopping down to the next floor, she stood atop a fountain in a mini plaza. Along a wire was another platform with a staircase leading to the next hatch. She did not see any mystery pictures here, but she did find Rift Pons hovering over a couple wooden trampolines and trailing behind a couple Mafioso men running on a large morsel of meat. Treading carefully, she collected all the Rift Pons around and made her way to the hatch.

Next room was 4 platforms close to each other. Three Mafioso men were throwing cans at her immediately. Annoyed, she hopped over and knocked them out. Then she spotted one more mystery picture under a bridge that leads to the hatch. Gathering the last of the Rift Pons, she jumped right into the open hatch.

She landed on a small platform and smiled. No Rift Pons or mystery pictures; rather, the Rift itself. Recalling what she remembered from the book, she pulled out her umbrella and started breaking the rift. After four hard whacks, the Rift flashed many colors of bright light and vanished, leaving the repaired Time Piece floating in mid-air.

She grabbed it with a relieved smile. That takes care of the time rifts, especially the unstable one. In a flash of light, she was taken back home.

Once back on her spaceship, she then remembered the mystery pictures she found. When she dug into her pockets, her eyes widen when she pulled out the pictures. But they were not separated or blurred. They were in a mini-storybook-picture form.

Intrigued, Hat Kid tucked it under her arm and went up to the monitor right next to her room. Given the Time Pieces she now has, she had enough to restore power to her bedroom. With an eager "Boop," the doors opened and the lights came back on in her room. She headed right in and hopped into her bed to read the storybook she had.

The title read, "Mafia's Great Voyage." Hat Kid turned the page. The first picture showed a group of Mafia, standing in front of a sort of fish factory. Looked like a lot of pollution.

The next page showed a picture of the Mafia Boss, dreaming of living on a nice tropical island. Blue skies, crystal blue oceans, and sun on his skin.

The third page showed the Mafia men and Mafia Boss on a large ship. Oddly, their women look like them, only in pink suit tops and purple skirts along with longer hair. But it was the same body structure. Weird.

The fourth page showed the Mafioso men having fun together on the ship. Playing volleyball and soaking up some sun.

When Hat Kid turned to the fifth page, her eyes widen a bit. A cozy island town with a castle-like tower in the middle of it. The ship the Mafia were on spotted it and set course there.

The final page was the Mafia Boss placing down a flag that stated: "Mafia Town #1". Their base was built on the geyser and the town was now a bit trashed. TNT barrels, empty tin cans, and Mafioso men running amok.

Hat Kid closed the book, now having mixed feelings. She felt a bit happy that the Mafia found a better place to stay and a better life to experience. But, she felt unhappy with the fact that they took over an innocent town, claiming it as their own.

Mustache Girl. Her home. It was all taken so the Mafia could find a better place to live.

Hat Kid sighed and closed the book. She fully understood why Mustache Girl wanted to get rid of the Mafia so bad since it seemed like they did not have a right to be there. But at the same time, where can they go where they are truly happy?

Walking to her bookshelf, she placed the booklet in an open space. As she exited and headed to the kitchen, she stopped, seeing something stuck to her large window.

She walked up to it and saw it was a flyer. "Dead Bird Studio." She then looked down at the planet.

"Just past Mafia Town, huh?"


	9. Dead Bird Studio Presents:

Entering the large building, Hat Kid adjusted her hat as she walked down the long hallway to the lobby. Upon entering, she immediately stopped and stood at the door. In front of her were two figures arguing with each other.

One was a bit taller than her and dressed in a train conductor's uniform. She wasn't sure what kind of species he was though. Maybe an owl? He had golden-yellow skin/feathers, winged hands, and jagged teeth. She also couldn't tell if he had eyes since...she couldn't see him. Odd creature. And they call _her_ an alien?

The other was the tallest in the room, most likely due to the high-rise red shoes he had on, giving him a few extra inches. He looked like a penguin with a disco get-up. He had a large afro with a pick in it, a red jacket with golden buttons, shades shaped like stars, blue jeans with a brown belt, and a hand-held microphone.

Judging by appearances, Hat Kid could easily see why they would be against each other. They look like they came from different cultures or eras.

"This movie studio is too big for the both of us, DJ Groooooves! The movie should be made by REAL birds!" The train conductor-dressed bird? had a Scottish accent when he argued against the penguin, who Hat Kid presumes is named DJ Grooves. The way the conductor-dressed bird? addressed DJ Grooves easily showed how much he hated saying his name.

He continued, "You Moon Penguins are just gonna write some loud, noisy drivel! If I wanted a bunch of peck necks to dance around while on bird seed, ha! I'd visit me grandchildren."

DJ Grooves responded in a smooth voice that sounded like a voice a jazz singer would have, "Nonsense, darling, nonsense! You Owl Express birds are just going to record another boring train-related western. You've done so for the last ten years, darling!"

Hat Kid looked to her left and saw a few western movie posters hung on the wall. They sat above a large trophy shelf that had a few golden trophies inside. Looking her right, she saw some glitz-and-glam posters over a large trophy shelf that had one golden trophy and a few silver ones.

"Wha-?! No we haven't, yer buffoon!"

"Conductor, darling, this year _we'll_ be winning the Annual Bird Movie Award, as our new movie props will bring in the audiences." DJ Grooves then waved his flipper, motioning the moon penguins behind him to step forward. They were wearing fedoras, shades, and vests. Four of the penguins were carrying a large glass case with the props as they stepped forward. Hat Kid gasped softly when she saw what the props were.

Two Time Pieces! "These shiny things fell from the sky. They will light our movie sets and fill them with glimmer!"

"Oh yeah?" The Conductor crossed his arms, then motioned his Express Owls to step forward as well. They wore trench coats with suspenders and a bowtie as well as boater hats/flat caps. Four of them were carrying a large glass case as well, but with 3 Time Pieces inside.

"Well, this time around, we're ALSO spicing it up with our newest movie prrrops!" He rolled his r's as he pointed to the Time Pieces. "These hourglass thingies will be the grand jewel in our train heist western!"

Then, there was a pause as the two birds looked at the props. It did not take long for them to realize they were the exact same. The Conductor was the first one to break the silence.

"WHADDA WHAT?! You no-good dirty PECK NECKS! You copied our props!"

"I would never, darling! Clearly, you're the one who took inspiration in my flashy new props."

The Conductor stomped his foot in anger and irritation. "Ohhhh that does it! Get outta here with ye! I've got a movie to record!"

"Fine by me, darling. But _we'll_ be the ones who win the Annual Bird Movie Award, mark my word." He turned around and sashayed right through the set of double doors on the right side of the studio. His moon penguins carrying the props entered with him.

"Ohhh yeah?!" The Conductor stomped right up to the double doors and had a mischievous grin appear on his face. He grabbed a nearby set of wooden planks and a hammer sitting behind the reception desk and started boarding up the doors.

"Let's see how well ye do when you can't get into the reception! GWAHAHAHA!" His evil smile then disappeared when he immediately realized something.

"Oh wait, uh...shutting the peck necks inside the studio will force them to work harder." Seeing how he did not think this fully through, he immediately marched to the left side of the studio towards the double doors on that side. He turned around to the Express Owls carrying the props.

"Alright. Time to go, owls! Let's make our killer movie!" The owls with the props entered first. Just before the Conductor entered, he turned to the bird at the reception desk. "Oh, and receptionist, can yer PLEASE close off that vent already? I don't want the smell of penguin to come anywhere near my crew!"

The receptionist gave an uninterested nod and the Conductor entered his side of the studio. Hat Kid, after watching the scene, already knew her goal: get those Time Pieces. Getting caught in the middle of DJ Grooves and the Conductor's feud sounded like a recipe for disaster.

Looking up at the open vent, she already knew her way in. But if she's going to enter, she's going to need to blend in. She looked over at the sunglasses dispenser and clicked the button. A pair of shades popped out for her and she smiled, putting it on. Interested, she decided to get another one.

However, as a result of doing so, she accidentally knocked it over and the glass smashed. ...Whoops.

The receptionist looked down at her. "Hey! That's a 3000 pon fine, young lady." 3000 pons?! She barely has 200! Looking to her left and right for a way out of this, her gaze met the open vent. Just before the receptionist could grab her, she jumped onto DJ Groove's trophy case and hopped her way to the vent. Ripping the vent cover open, she quickly climbed inside.

Trespassing. That's gotta be about 7000 pons out of her wallet now. But she had no time to dwell on it. She's only going to be here just to grab her Time Pieces and then she'll be gone. That fine won't matter.

Standing on the backstage boxes in DJ Grooves' side of the studio, she spotted her Time Pieces. One of the moon penguins holding the case flipped a switch on a large conveyor and left the scene.

"Alright, let's take it from the top! Action!" Hat Kid kept low and quiet as she snuck past a few moon penguins and DJ Grooves. If anyone spotted her, she'll be busted. She reached the conveyor and flipped the switch with her umbrella, moving to the Conductor's side of the studio.

"Let's make this movie happen! Owls, in position! Action!" Now she had to avoid the owls and the Conductor. Getting past the setting and the Conductor, she saw another conveyor. One owl was watching the area though. She had to be quick about this. She flipped the switch, waited for him to turn his back, and made a running jump for the conveyor.

Making it, she was transported back to DJ Grooves's side of the studio. This was a sort of repeated process for her. Conveyor, sneak, repeat. Until further in, she saw no way of sneaking past some cameras propped up in her way. Nothing to hide behind or go over. That is, not until she spotted a power switch.

She pulled it, turning off all electricity and running past the now blinded cameras. DJ Grooves and the Conductor stopped.

"Wuzzah what?"

"Who turned off the lights? Penguins, check the power switch!"

"That dern DJ Grooves. If he thinks by pulling the plug on my movie will stop me from beating him again, he'd better think twice!"

One of the moon penguins found the power switch and flipped it back on, just as Hat Kid got past the cameras. Meanwhile, the receptionist with a few security bird guards behind him noticed the power going out.

"It's gotta be that kid. There's a power switch at DJ Groove's side of the studio. She couldn't have gotten far!" They all headed in her general direction.

Hat Kid continued sneaking past any owl and penguin, climbing up boxes, and hopping across sandbags over large gaps. Those Time Pieces have got to be close by now, right?

She then saw a light on the other side of the large wooden crates filled with various props. A large red-curtained room with a long red carpet. Surely her props have to be here. Hopping down to the area, she headed up the carpet to the end. But she skidded to a stop, eyes wide.

The end did not have a glass case with her Time Pieces. It had a large star award trophy. And standing in front of it was DJ Grooves himself. She did not dare move as he ranted to himself.

"Magnificent! Stunning! This trophy is everything I desire...on the shelf in my living room! Of course, this big trophy is just a plastic replica. The actual trophy is really tiny."

Hat Kid took a step back, not wanting to get caught. However, she winced when the floor under her creaked. DJ Grooves, alerted by this noise, turned around and looked directly at Hat Kid. His eyebrows were raised in surprise as he looked her over.

"Oh my, oh my! What is that I see? Is it true inner beauty? An innocent soul with a heart of gold?" Hat Kid's eyes widen a little bit with surprise. She lowered her double shades, showing her turquoise eyes, and looked up at him curiously.

"Oh, no. It's just a little girl. Hello!" She somehow couldn't help but smile a bit. Seeing that he wasn't going to get her in trouble, she replied, "Hi-"

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"

Before she had time to react, two of the security birds grabbed her by each arm, lifting her right off her feet. She struggled, unable to reach her umbrella. DJ Grooves was shocked by this sudden assault on the little girl. Before he could demand them to put her down, the receptionist stepped forward.

"I'm sorry about this, Grooves. This little punk somehow managed to sneak in here, trying to avoid her fine for messing up the shades dispenser." He then turned to her, poking his feathered finger on her middle, with an angry expression. "And she's going to pay. BIG. Either that, or it's the birdhouse for you." Is it even legal to send a human girl to bird jail?

Just as the security birds were beginning to walk off with her, DJ Grooves then spoke up. "Hold it." They stopped, everyone now looking up at him. "She's not going anywhere. Especially not to jail. She's not even a bird."

The receptionist replied, "Sir, she's a menace! She destroyed property, trespassed, and tampered with electricity. That's why the power was cut out. And for her not to be sent to jail, she would have to have around 320,000 pons on hand." Hat Kid's heart dropped. She was going to be in debt until she was an old lady.

"Why don't I take care of her then? No need to ruffle your own feathers dealing with her." Hat Kid looked back up, slight fear showing on her expression.

"You sure, Grooves? She's a handful. What if she runs off again?"

"Then I'll call you guys if I need any help. For now, head on back to your stations. I'll deal with her for you." The receptionist thought this over, then snapped his fingers. The security guards, on command, walked up to DJ Grooves and handed her to him.

As DJ Grooves firmly held her hand, keeping her from running off or sneaking away, the receptionist handed him a bill. "This is for the kid's damage. See that she gets what she deserves, sir."

DJ Grooves merely nodded and watched the receptionist and guards leave silently. Hat Kid was physically trembling a bit. She didn't want to go to jail, be in debt, or "dealt with." She knew that meant she was going to be harmed. Or worse…

Once the receptionist and security birds were gone, DJ Grooves looked down at her. "Now then." He let go of her hand and she backed up nervously. But to her surprise, he only knelt down to her level, showing a gentle smile.

"Now now, don't worry, darling. You're safe with me. I doubt a little child like you could cause this much trouble purposely." He looked down at the bill, then back up to her. "But here's the biz: I need your help. Being that you're not a penguin, I could actually use some non-penguin company around here since frankly, my penguins are terrible actors."

Hat Kid started to relax a bit, happy he wasn't planning to hurt her or anything. He continued, "I'm on a terrible losing streak, and I just HAVE to win this next Annual Bird Movie Award. There is no doubt; I absolutely MUST have you as the star!"

Hat Kid's eyes lit up. Her? A star? That sounded amazing! Seeing her eyes light up, DJ Grooves smiled a bit more, then looked back down at the bill of her damage. He then held it up to her, causing her smile to disappear.

"Let me just take care of this real quick." Then to her shock, he ripped it in half. She wasn't sure that was legal, but it was like an immense weight was lifted off her shoulders. She smiled warmly, feeling more relaxed. He then motioned her to a camera nearby.

"Now. We need to give you a bird passport, darling! Just step right over here. The most important part of a passport is the picture, darling!" Hat Kid did as she was told, stepping in front of the camera, adjusting her hat.

"Okay! Put on a smile and stand still, please. Don't move." Hat Kid did as she was told, smiling and folding her arms behind her back. However, DJ Grooves seemed to be struggling with taking the picture since it was taking longer than it should. He would not admit it though.

Hat Kid's smile faded and she took a step forward, about to walk over and see if she could help figure it out. But then, the flash went off and her picture was taken. She blinked and rubbed her eyes.

"Let's see how it turned out." DJ Grooves looked at it and his eyes widened. "WHA-...Darling, you moved! The picture is ruined! How could you?"

Hat Kid's eyes widened. She didn't mean to purposely move. He was taking a while and she got fidgety. She wanted to help him figure it out. But that was not why her eyes started to look misty as well.

' _It's ruined! How could you?! This was priceless!_ '

"I-I...I didn't mean to…" DJ Grooves looked at her, his unhappy expression softening when he saw Hat Kid looking more troubled than he was.

"Oh no, kid, I…" He motioned her over and she quietly approached, arms behind her back and rubbing her eyes with her shoulder, trying to hide possible tears.

"I'm sorry I snapped like that. It's alright, darling. Really. We just need to fix this with some old-fashioned photo doctoring!" Hat Kid looked up, starting to calm down a bit, relieved that he wasn't as angry as she thought. He then handed her the picture and a few markers.

"Use these markers and turn yourself into the most stylish, fashionable young lady!" Hat Kid smiled a bit, seeing there was a solution. Firstly, a smile was needed. She carefully drew a small cute one. Maybe she could add a bit of makeup? All pretty ladies wear makeup...at least, that's what her mom told her.

She added a bit of light pink on her lips to make it look like lipstick. Then added a light purple color to the eyelids so it looked like she had eyeshadow. Satisfied with the diva she created, she handed it to DJ Grooves.

He smiled and said, "Perfect! Let's slide this picture into your passport…" He pulls out a blue little booklet and slips the picture in. "And here you go! One passport for you." He handed it to Hat Kid. She smiled and put it into her pockets.

' _Sweet! I'm legally a bird now! ...I think? Is that how it works around here,_ ' Hat Kid questioned in her thoughts. But she shrugged it off. She was still new to this planet. What does she know about bird law?

"Wonderful, darling! Just wonderful!" He held both her hands with an excited smile. "Meet me at the movie set tomorrow, and we'll make you a star!" Hat Kid smiled back and nodded in a way of confirming her attendance.

With that nod, DJ Grooves had an extra skip in his step as he sashayed off back to his set. Hat Kid smiled. She did not intend to get involved in the movies or in between the competition of DJ Grooves and the Conductor, but hey. If she has an opportunity to be a star and stay out of trouble with the receptionist, how could she say no?

"HEY! WHATCHA THINK YER DOIN'?!"

Hat Kid jolted, turning around. From behind the replica of the reward, the Conductor stepped out. And boy, did he look steamed. He marched right up to Hat Kid, fists clenched and anger showing in his facial features.

"Yer can't just jump in and fiddle with the Annual Bird Movie Awards! That's fraud! FRAUD!" He then looked away from her and around the room while shouting, "Hey everyone, we've got a FRAUDSTER OVER HERE!"

But nobody was present or even coming. The security guards were already gone as well as DJ Grooves. The two stood in silence until the Conductor stomped his foot in irritation.

"WHERE ARE MY OWL GUARDS AT?! Why are the owls so dern useless?!"

Hat Kid decided to take this opportunity to try and sneak away. An angry Conductor seems like bad company anyway. But right as she was about to tiptoe away and exit, stage left, the Conductor looked at her and grabbed her arm roughly.

She winced as he then pulled her close. He pointed one of his winged fingers near her face as he spoke. "Alright, listen here, lass. Yer in big trouble. If you're helping crooked DJ Grooves rig the awards, and I can't take yer to jail, then yer gotta help me even the score!"

Hat Kid's eyes widened a bit, already figuring out what this means. He let go of her arm, causing her to rub it in comfort from the tight grip. He then continued, "That's right, yer gotta be the star of _my_ movies, too!"

A star in two movies? Practically an actor's dream come true! Though given who the directors are, Hat Kid was beginning to question if her role in this was a good role.

Although, her doubts immediately vanished when she saw the Conductor pull something out of his pockets. A Time Piece! He held it out to her. "Here. Hold our newest prop, practice showing it off, and bring it to my movie set tomorrow morning! Yer got that? Don't be late!"

She took hold of the Time Piece and looked up at the Conductor. She showed a small cute smile and nodded in understanding. His expression seemed to have softened seeing her smile, but he remained firm. He turned away and walked back to his movie set.

Hat Kid looked down at her Time Piece and a plan came to mind. If she wasn't going to be able to take the Time Pieces being used as props, why not follow along with this star in both movies idea and get the "props" without being caught for stealing? Then she could get all her Time Pieces in this area. Confident with the idea, she headed back to her ship to rest up for tomorrow morning.

After all, the spotlight waits for no one.

.

.

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Been excited about this chapter, since I love this world, next to Subcon Forest, as well as the Conductor and DJ Grooves. Hat Kid's past remains a mystery, but the future seems to hold fame and double-shades ahead. Thank you, readers, once more for the support you give, even if you're just tuning in. :)


	10. Murder on the Owl Express

Hat Kid checked herself in the mirror as she finished her breakfast. With an early start to the day, she had to make sure she looked presentable for the camera. She planned to keep her usual look but had to make sure she had no dirt or messy hair. Once she finished checking herself over, she gave her reflection a smirk and finger guns. Putting on her hat, she hopped down to Dead Bird Studio.

She landed right outside the large building and was about to enter when she heard the familiar Scottish accented voice of the Conductor.

"Over here, lass!" She looked over and her eyes lit up with wonder. Right on the left side of the Studio's open lot was a large steam train. It blew its whistle as Express Owls began to gather inside. The Conductor was standing at the back end of the caboose, where there was a sort of balcony where passengers can stand and observe their surroundings as they travel. He had a pocket watch in hand as he waved her over.

With an eager smile, Hat Kid ran right up and hopped on the train, right next to the Conductor.

"Was wondering if ye were gonna make it, lassie. Glad yer here bright and early. So, where's that prop I loaned you?"

Hat Kid's smile dropped when she realized she didn't have it on hand. She had it locked back up in her safe where it belonged. Besides, she was mainly excited by the fact she will get to star in two movies.

The Conductor's smile dropped as well, seeing her expression. He sighed and asked, "Ye left it, didn't you?" She looked down, giving him a small sad nod. He looked back up and replied, "It's fine. I had a feeling that would happen since the owls do it all the time. I have an extra we can use. But next time, make sure you have everything prepared before coming."

Hat Kid gave a small nod in understanding, quietly looking down. The Conductor then smirked and tousled her hair a bit, causing her to look up with mild surprise by the friendly gesture. He then went into the train car and shouted, "Alright, owls! Let's get this train rolling!"

With a loud whistle from the Owl Express, the train started rolling down the tracks. It was amazing to Hat Kid that the lot was big enough to have a whole train track system set around the area. She bounced up and down as she watched the environment move around her. The wind in her hair and sun on her skin felt amazing as the train chugged along.

The Conductor then came back to the caboose. He leaned against the railing, pocket watch open, and looked to Hat Kid while saying, "Now. I haven't finished writing out the script for the movie yet, so we're not recording. You go on ahead and explore the train. I'll call for yer when the script is ready."

Hat Kid smiled and nodded, then headed inside to explore. The Conductor shook his head with a small smile. "Kids…" He turned back to the view of the environment, enjoying the scenery.

Once inside, Hat Kid did not even have a chance to take a look in the caboose car as a tall figure in a trench coat and fedora walked right up to her. A bit startled by the sudden stranger approach, she gripped the handle of her umbrella, ready to fight if necessary. Upon closer inspection, this shady bird looked more like a crow than an owl. He spoke with a deep gruff voice.

"Why hello there, fellow owl. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting? As you can tell, I am also an Express Owl. I do much hooting." Hat Kid looked at him up and down warily. She wasn't buying it.

"From one owl to another, we can share details, yes? What is your uncle sister's maiden name?" Hat Kid blinked. This was full red flag stranger danger. A shady tall figure approaches the small kid and asks for personal details. She was close to attacking and running, but since she was on a moving train, she would not have much of an escape route.

Besides, she did not want this stranger to get any ideas of harming her after she may harm him. After considering her options, she decided to give what he wants, but lie at the same time. She doesn't even know her uncle's sister. Actually, she's not sure if she has even met her uncle. At least not for a long time.

"Terry," Hat Kid answered. It was the first name that came to mind. The crow nodded as a few of his black feathers molted off.

"Oh, it is Terry. I see I see. This is the kind of uncle's sister's maiden name I would expect from a fellow Express Owl."

"Ha...yeah…" With that said, Hat Kid quietly walked around him and avoided eye contact. He seemed to leave her be, much to her relief. She looked to one of the actual Express Owls, who was eyeing the three crows.

"What's up with those crows," she asked.

"I-I don't know. They all just kinda got on at the last stop. And now they're asking these personal questions that are making me a bit uncomfortable."

"Weird…" Okay, so it's not something normal. A bunch of shady crows asking personal questions is considered not normal on this planet. Good to know there's something Hat Kid can relate to.

She was about to move to the next car until she was stopped by another crow. She recoiled her hand from the knob and looked up at him as he leaned down to her level.

"Did you know having a pet improves self-confidence and relieves stress? Did you also know that pets can have pets? It is true!"

"Uh-huh, mm-hmm…" Hat Kid kept her eyes on the door, wanting to really get past him. But since he was standing right in between her and the door, it was not going to happen.

"Unfortunately, us Express Owls are not allowed to have pets. It is a sacrifice we must make in the name of hooting. But, if you had a pet, what do you think the name of your pet's childhood pet would be?"

Isn't this an odd question. As far as Hat Kid knew, she couldn't have a pet either back home. "Too much care" or "too expensive," they said. That's why she has Rumbi on her ship. They're probably the closest thing she could call a pet. So if that's the case, what would Rumbi's pet's name be?

"Scooter." Again, the first thing that came to mind.

"I see. Scooter is certainly an interesting name for a pet. Even for a pet's pet." He then finally stepped to the side, allowing Hat Kid to pass through.

Hat Kid exhaled with relief, thinking she was out of the crow's nest. But when she looked around the library car that connected to the baggage car and cafeteria car? Nope. Even more crows.

She sighed and adjusted her top hat. ' _Better get this over with_ ,' she said in her thoughts. Thankfully, it did not take long for her to get past the crows. After telling a couple crows that her superhero name would be "Hattington" and somehow agreeing to the terms and conditions on a chalkboard, she entered the cafeteria cart. But her eyes widened when she saw what was present.

On the left were a bar and a staircase that lead up to a VIP room. On the right? A long lane of booths. All seats taken by the same shady crows. That Express Owl wasn't kidding when he said a bunch of them got on. Those previous 5 were only just a few of the large flock.

They did not seem to bother Hat Kid or even notice her as she walked by, much to her relief. Instead, they were telling "jokes" to each other. At least, that's what Hat Kid assumed they were. What's so funny about too much sauce on a pizza or telling a lady to not go into a store?

She quietly walked past and entered the door in front of her. She found herself at the front of the train, also known as the locomotive. No owls, no crows, and no Conductor. Aside from the controls, it was empty. At least, that was what she believed until she looked down in front of her. A mysterious present sitting in the middle of the room.

She walked up and knelt down in front of it, looking at the name tag. "To the kid with the hat." Her eyes widened a bit. A present from no addresser. That's...peculiar. But curious to see what it was, she opened it. What she saw inside made her eyes sparkle.

A crime-solving outfit! It had its own brown flat cap and brown detective coat, all nicely set in the gift box. This must be for the Conductor's next movie. A mystery one, perhaps. A bit excited, she giggled and buttoned the detective coat over her clothes. She then took off her top hat and put on the crime-solving one. All she needed was a magnifying glass and she'll be an ace detective, much like the ones she has read in her books.

Her smile vanished, however, when she heard a dial phone beside her ring. Its ringtone sounded mysterious and suspenseful. She looked around as if expecting someone to come in and answer it. But since she was the only one, she shrugged and decided to pick up. It would be rude not to.

"...Hello?"

A scratchy, distorted voice answered, making her jump a bit. "Is this the kid with the hat? I hope you like my present...heh heh heh. Go to the back of the train. Your uncle's sister Terry has come to visit you. You better show your fam' some love, or I will be talking to a corpse next time." With that stated, there was a click and beeping. They hung up immediately.

Hat Kid stood there, confused and mildly perturbed. Firstly, this mysterious stranger was the one that gave her the gift. Who are they though? Secondly, her uncle's sister is here? There was no way. She never met her back at her old home, so how, if she existed, would she know that this place was where she would go to look here for her? Thirdly, "talking to a corpse?" Something about that did not sit right. She had to see for herself.

She marched right out of the locomotive, past the cafeteria car where the crows were still cracking "jokes," past the library car, and into the caboose car. But when she opened the door, she fell back with a small scream at the sight she was greeted with.

An Express Owl, laying on the floor in a puddle of blood. He had a knife stuck into his back and he did not appear to be moving. Behind him was a cardboard cut-out of a lady, as if she was the one that stabbed him. Either way, seeing the corpse made Hat Kid tremble.

The Conductor then barged in through the back door. "Lass? I heard ye scream! What's-..." He froze, seeing the scene before him.

"A-a-a-a-a-a-a MURDER? ON _MY_ OWL EXPRESS?!"

Some Express Owls heard the Conductor shout this out and gasped when they entered behind Hat Kid. They were just as shocked and shaken up. A large group of the mysterious crows came in as well, eyes widening to the scene. Hat Kid went to the Conductor's side, visibly shaking.

The Conductor was, altogether, shocked. He put his hand on his head and said, "I can't _believe_ someone would murder one of the Express Owls!" He then looked at Hat Kid, who was trying to regain her composure while not looking at the corpse of the innocent owl. "And I can't even believe even more that it's yer uncle's sister Terry!"

' _Was it really though_ ,' was Hat Kid's silent question. The Conductor then turned to the cardboard cut-out. "What do yer have to say for yerself, Terry?!"

No words from the cardboard cut-out, as everyone else should have expected. The Conductor crossed his arms and tapped his foot.

"Ohhh yer givin' me the quiet treatment, eh?! That's what a murrrderrrerrr would do!" Hat Kid could easily tell the Conductor was on edge. When he rolls his r's, that meant to her that he was angry. Or at least, angrier than usual.

"Leave this case to us." The Conductor, Hat Kid, and Express Owls all turned around and looked at the crows. In the large group, one of the crows stepped forward and held out a sort of badge with his wings.

"We're CAW, the Crow Agent Watch. We've been monitoring everyone on this train since the last station." That explains the personal questions. The crow put away his badge as he continued, looking at everyone in the room.

"We'll be searching the entire train for evidence. No one is allowed to go outside of this wagon."

"WHAT?!" Hat Kid winced a bit by the Conductor's sudden loud outburst. He stomped his foot and stormed up to the leading crow, throwing his winged arms up. "I can't even walk around in me own train?!" He growled and pointed his winged finger at him. "How dare yer!"

Not intimidated in the slightest, the crow continued, "Once the clock hits midnight, we'll get off at the station with the murderer in cuffs. Stay here while we investigate further." To Hat Kid, it should be noon since the sun was still out, but she decided not to openly state that and go with it.

All the crows gathered out of the car and shut the door behind them. On cue, the clock struck 11 as its chime rang out through the train. The Conductor huffed and stood to the side, arms crossed. Hat Kid went to his side, looking up to him and avoiding eye contact with the dead Express Owl.

11:00

"Ohhh those C.A.W. peck necks can't tell me what to do! I bet they committed the murder, and are destroying all the evidence!"

That was not a bad theory. At this point, Hat Kid was not sure who really did it. Everyone seemed suspicious. Relying on the crows to get evidence seemed like a bad idea.

"What if...I investigated then?" The Conductor stopped tapping his foot in irritation and looked down at her.

One of the Express Owls spoke up. "But the crow agents told us to stay in here while they investigated the whole train."

Hat Kid smirked and put her hands on her hips with small pride. "If I can sneak past a lot of guards in a movie studio, then you can count on Detective Hat Kid to solve this mystery."

The Conductor put his hand under his chin, thinking this idea over. It did not take long for him to agree with it. "Alright, lassie. Find out who our murderer is so we can bring the real justice to my express. Just be careful of those crows."

Hat Kid nodded with a confident smile and quietly exited through the door. She immediately spotted 3 crows looking around in small areas. She snuck past one that had his back turned to the door. Then she went past the other by going behind the blackboard. Finally, climbing over the bookshelf, she got past the third one.

Now, where to start? She spotted the open Rec Room, which was previously closed off by a crow standing in her way. She quietly entered and immediately found a folder on the floor. It had a large red stamp on it stating, "CONFIDENTIAL." Sounded clear enough that it was evidence.

Hat Kid opened it up and she blinked in mild surprise. Inside, there were pictures, background checks, and a couple news articles inside about the Conductor. Two pictures that stood out to Hat Kid the most were the one that showed him holding a knife and the other that showed him talking in secret with the crows. She then also read the news article titled: "Loss of Award 42."

" _At the 124th Annual Bird Movie Award Ceremony, a devastated Conductor lost his winning streak as DJ Grooves claimed the first place position in the competition. What caused this victory was based on DJ Groove's popular movie in the charts: 'Disco Fever from the Stars.' Its hip music, suspenseful plot, and bedazzling effects were enough to blow the crowd away. The Conductor claimed_ _to do whatever it took_ _to win the next trophy, regaining his lost winning streak._ "

Hat Kid noticed the "to do whatever it took" part was underlined in red. "Hmm…" She closed the folder and tucked it away. She allowed her thoughts to process this. What would the Conductor achieve in murdering one of his employees? He is a pretty violent-looking guy and quick to anger, but would he really go as far as to killing someone? Keeping those thoughts in mind, she continued searching for clues.

Climbing up to the next floor of the Rec Room, she spotted another door that leads into the Night Cabin. When she entered, there was not much there except a large key in the middle of the room and two crows marching around it. It almost seemed like they were guarding it.

Hat Kid tilted her hat down a bit and carefully went behind one of the crows, tip-toeing behind him. Once she was near the key, she quickly grabbed it and snuck back around. After exiting, she looked down at the key and pocketed. Surely this will come in handy. All keys do.

Spotting a door just above the Rec room exit, she hopped from platform to platform past the crow watching the area and entered.

11:10

She was standing on a platform above the floor below her in the library car. She saw across the way a locked door. She smiled, proud to see the key came in handy after all. A crow was standing nearby on another platform, but he kept his eye on the door to her right. She'll have to investigate there once she figured out how to get past him.

She hopped over to the door in front of her, unlocked it, and entered the Luggage Room. Inside, she looked around the large room of suitcases and lockers. Of course, some crow agents were looking around here.

She jumped, startled when a nearby phone rang. She quickly picked up, not wanting the crows to hear. She then spoke softly.

"Hello?"

It was the same scratchy, distorted voice. "So you think you can just sneak around the train like this?" Hat Kid's eyes widen a bit. She looked around for any signs of anyone watching her. But she appeared alone.

The stranger continued, "Just drop the detective act. You'll never catch the real murderer...heh heh heh. You can't point your finger at someone without clues. The clock is ticking. Will you be able to find enough clues to point your finger at the murderer?"

The line clicked and beeped, showing that they hung up. Hat Kid put the phone back and adjusted her hat, motivated. She was now more determined to find out who the murderer was. If she was going to do it, however, she would need more clues.

Climbing over a few suitcases, she took a look around for any signs of confidential folders. Past two crows pacing back and forth, separated by a tall metal fence, she spotted a confidential folder. She climbed up more suitcases until she was in jumping range of it. She leaped over the crows and landed right in front of it. Grabbing it, she snuck back to the Luggage Room exit. She then opened it to see who's her new suspect.

Pictures of suspicious activity and background checks of the C.A.W. agents. She did think this over while looking over a few pictures. Why would the crows, members of the justice system, wish to murder one of the Express Owls? Then again, they have been suspicious from the start. The personal questions, claiming they were also Express Owls, and now ordering them to stay in one car while they investigated. The Conductor's claim on them destroying the evidence did not sound far-fetched.

Pocketing the folder, she continued looking around. With another locked door in the room and no key on hand, she exited the Luggage Room and decided to check the cafeteria. Her eyes widen when she saw all the crows here earlier were still here. She kept her back to the wall and tried to figure out how to get past them without noticing her.

She noticed that every few seconds, after every "joke," they laugh really hard. No one can really laugh with their eyes open. Hat Kid's eyes lit up. She had an idea and it might just work. She watched the crows as they told each other "jokes" and waited until they laughed, eyes closed. Finding her window, she ran past and up the staircase.

She looked around, but no evidence so far. She then looked up to the VIP room. Surely there must be something there. She entered cautiously.

11:20

Quite the fancy room. Elegant carpeting, chandeliers, and comfy fancy chairs. Past the glass panel and a crow pacing back and forth from the entrance, entrances to specific owls' rooms, a TV way bigger than Hat Kid's in her Main Hub, and rooms with comfy-looking beds.

Sneaking past the crow at the entrance, she spotted a confidential folder on a small round table, with another crow pacing around it. She had to be quick on grabbing this one. Waiting until his back was turned, she quickly grabbed the folder and ran out of sight. She hopped up on top of the TV and onto a few platforms that sat above. She then sat down and opened the folder to see who's her next suspect.

A couple pictures and a few witness statements on Terry. Could the cardboard cut-out really be the murderer? She was right there, standing behind the killed owl as if she backstabbed him. What if the cardboard cut-out was an act? Or what if it wasn't?

Hat Kid pocketed the folder and noticed a key one platform away from her. What luck! She stood back up and hopped over, grabbing the key. Exiting the VIP room after sneaking past the crow guard once more, she made her way back to the Luggage room.

Once there, she unlocked the locked door and entered. She was now on another platform sitting in the library car, but this time with a button in front of her. When she stepped on it, the crow that was watching the large door ahead of her was lowered down as his platform went down.

With a new room open for her to investigate, she hopped through the large door and entered.

11:30

The clock chimed its 30-minute mark. Hat Kid was running low on time. Tilting her hat down, she immediately ducked behind a large machine. In the room were a very large group of C.A.W. agents, standing in front of static computer monitors and discussing amongst themselves.

Hat Kid was going to need to up her game in stealth now. Sneaking past a few wandering crows, she took a small lift up to the next floor. Two rooms were open to her: the Boiler Room and the Engine room. She took the one on the left first, which was the Boiler Room. Inside, a large steaming boiler sat in the middle of the massive room. Crows were all around, joking with themselves and gossiping. On the other side of the room, she spotted a key.

She recalled a locked door on the other side of the room she was just in earlier and made her way across. After hiding from the pacing crows and dashing past the laughing ones, she grabbed the key and made her way back to the main room.

Before she decided to unlock the door, she went into the Engine room to make sure she did not leave any evidence unchecked. The moment she entered, a telephone rang. She looked to her left and spotted it. She walked over and picked up.

"He-"

"You don't give up, do you," The same scratchy voice interrupted. "It seems the only way I can get rid of you...is to make you run out of time. So here's a fun time-eater."

A spotlight shone on a spot above Hat Kid and she looked up. Her eyes widened as she spotted a cardboard cut-out of a cute puppy tied up and over a wood-cutting machine below. Cardboard or not, that puppy was in danger!

"Seems Scooter has gotten itself in an unusual situation. It's hanging on to a thin rope for dear life, just above a wood cutting machine. What an odd coincidence! So what are you going to do? Save Scooter from becoming saw dust, or figure out who the murderer is?" With a click, the stranger hung up.

"I'm gonna do both." Adjusting her hat with a determined expression, Hat Kid started making her way up to the control panel. She zipped past a few crows, jumped a few gaps and landed right by the control panel. She quickly flipped a switch and lowered the cardboard dog to safety.

She hopped down, using her umbrella to land safely, and went up to the dog, patting its head. "You're safe now."

To her surprise, the cardboard cut-out actually responded. Strangely, it sounded like the same voice on the phone. "Thank you kind human for saving me. Woof woof. I found this clue on the murderer. Hope it helps you. Woof woof." Something was heard falling to the ground behind the dog. When Hat Kid looked, she saw it was a confidential folder.

11:50

Smiling, she took it and read it over as she made her way to the locked room. Her next suspect was...the victim himself? Hat Kid slowed her pace as she re-read it over. There was not too much evidence there, but showed a couple pictures and a background check. He was known to be pretty lazy and one of the pictures shows him looking over a knife. But...if that's true, wouldn't that make it a suicide?

The very thought of it made Hat Kid's heart twist a bit. She shook her head and put away the folder as she entered the locked room, which was the Lounge. It was like the VIP room, only a little less fancy and with a sauna. After sneaking past a few crows, she entered the sauna.

She took off her hat from the heat and waved it in front of her like a fan as she looked around for any clues or keys. At the very end, past a few owls that were surprisingly still here, she ran over to grab it. Then she quickly exited. Her time was running really short.

She spotted another room where she was standing just across a wooden plank. But also, she spotted another confidential folder below on a tray table with a pacing crow. Taking the risk, she jumped down on top of the tray, grabbed the folder, and dashed out of sight. As she made her way back to the room she spotted, she checked her next suspect.

Pictures and background checks of the Express Owls. Did they murder one of their own? It was surprising given their quiet, clumsy nature. But then again, there were owls just hanging in the sauna even after the crows told them they all had to stay at the caboose. But what if they were never present for that and hid away after the murder?

Keeping that in thoughts, she entered the room. She was back up high in the main room and found a button beside her that activated another lift. Once she pressed it, the lift turned on and lead to a large room that had red writing on it. It mainly said: "Keep Out." That sort of message only told Hat Kid she had to enter.

Jumping her way back down while avoiding the crows, she climbed onto the lift and unlocked the door with the key she held onto. Carefully entering, she found a small room with the last folder of evidence. She approached and opened it.

Her eyes widened at the suspect. It couldn't be…

Pictures and witness statements of... _her_. _She_ was a suspect now? The claims that she was a strange alien that not many know about. Even if she could deny herself, others do not know her well enough to not feel suspicious about her. But Hat Kid knew she wasn't the one that killed him. She would _never_ kill anyone! After all, she denied Mustache Girl's idea of putting Mafia guts in a jar and selling it. Why would she backstab an innocent owl?

12:00

The clock chimed. Midnight. Or noon, to her time. She needed to get back to the caboose before the crows found out she was missing. Tucking away the folder, she ran back.

* * *

"Sooo, um...who dun it?"

The C.A.W. agents looked at each other and the leading one glanced to the side while saying, "We don't know. We couldn't find any conclusive evidence. We have no idea who murdered this owl."

"What?! So you've done peck all to solve the case?!" The Conductor looked to Hat Kid. "Surely you've found _something_ , lassie. Who's the murrrdererrr? Which one of you did it?!"

It was time for a decision. Hat Kid looked at everyone and considered her options. She glanced back through a couple evidence folders in silence and paced back and forth a little to help her think. The crows watched her carefully, the Owls watched a little anxiously, the Conductor watched, slightly impatient, and Terry stood there, silent as always.

Hat Kid stopped, finally coming to a decision. She looked at everyone and held her finger up.

"The schmuck that did it is…"

She then pointed at who she believed was the murderer. The one she pointed to made everyone gasp.

"The Conductor."

He was completely caught off-guard by the accusation. Everyone was, except Hat Kid.

"Wh-...ME?! I can't be the murrrderrerrr! I'm the Conducterrrrr!"

"Exactly." Hat Kid took a small breath and began to explain, speaking the most she ever has since she fell onto this planet.

"After the loss of your winning streak in the movie awards, you wanted nothing more but to do _anything_ you could to beat your rival. Your temper grew shorter. You started running out of ideas as you did the same kind of movie. Your owls were always useless to you. So, in attempt to make a good movie, you murdered one of the Express Owls to make a murder mystery out of it."

She also pointed to the knife stuck in the victim's back, while avoiding eye contact with the victim. "This knife is also the same one in the picture I found with you holding it. Thus, this was your knife that stabbed the victim."

The Conductor was baffled. "What?" He looked at everyone. They were all looking at him, starting to believe Hat Kid's words. "No seriously, what?"

Hat Kid crossed her arms. She was not backing down on this decision. The Conductor looked a bit nervous. "I-it wasn't me!"

Everyone continued staring at him. "S-stop."

He avoided eye contact, crossing his arms. "Cut it out."

Sweat beaded down his forehead as his winged-hands started to shake a bit. Hat Kid walked right up to him, keeping her arms crossed and staring. The Conductor grew uneasy.

Until, "ALRIGHT, FINE!"

He looked at everyone. "It was me. I did it. There, yer happy?"

Hat Kid smiled. Looks like she made the right decision. She was debating earlier between the Crows and the Conductor, but she believed the crows were just... _too_ suspicious. Besides, she found plenty of evidence and did not see any great suspicious activity from them. Perhaps the Conductor brought them in to do those personal questions as well and set up Terry and Scooter.

The Conductor looked down at her, showing an expression that made it look like he was raising his eyebrow. "How'd you figure out it was me, hm? I tried really hard to avoid being the villain in me own movie. The Express Owl isn't even dead."

Wait, what? "I just gave him a rubber knife and asked him to play dead for a few hours."

"Yeah, can I go now? I'm kinda sore from playing dead for so long."

Everyone turned to the victim, who was now standing and untucking the knife from between his arm and torso. "This rubber knife is also a bit uncomfortable."

Hat Kid was surprised, but it soon changed to relief. For a moment, she thought he really was dead. The blood looked so real. She supposed that explained why there was no metallic sort of smell from it.

The Conductor then turned to Hat Kid and crossed his arms with an amused smile. "Well, thanks for solving the murder, lassy. Not only did you reveal the murderer, you also revealed that the victim was never harmed."

Hat Kid smiled brightly. Not bad for her first ever detective case. "And you gave us intense footage for the movie!" Her smile faded. Wait, this was all part of the movie? She showed confusion as she tilted her head.

"But...I thought you said the script…"

The Conductor chuckled a bit with an amused smile. "It was to get you into the moment, lass. What better way to act out a scene than to experience it yourself, believing it was real?"

He did have a fair point. If she knew the murder was fake, she doubted she would freak out and be more determined to solve the case than she did before. The Conductor continued, "Besides, you think I'd let a murder happen on _my_ Owl Express? Oh, think again. It was all just a setup for my newest Owl Express movie: Murder on the Owl Express!"

He had a smug grin when he said, "Ho ho, you think DJ Peck Neck will make a movie that's even remotely as good? Ha! I think not. So here, take this thingamajig and get out of here."

He held out in his hand a Time Piece. Hat Kid smiled and took it, then turned to a camera she spotted behind her. She tilted her hat down a bit and smirked.

"Case closed."

The audience cheered in the theatre. They loved it! Credits rolled as they showed the roles each actor played.

The movie was directed by the Conductor, who also played as the Savvy Train Conductor. Hat Kid, named "Some Girl" in the credits, played as "Detective Useless." She found that a bit insulting given all her work, but it was already up and running. No use changing it. Crows played as the C.A.W. Agents. Finally, the Express Owls played themselves.

The ratings boosted up fairly high, to around 550-600 points. DJ Grooves was in the back of the theatre to see the credits and he crossed his flippers, clearly irritated.

"Oh. It is on, darling."

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Whew! This one took long. I did not want to split this act up into two parts, so I give you probably the longest chapter this fic will have. I probably would have been done sooner, but a lot has been going on in school, so with finals coming close, I gotta be prepared. Anyways, until next chapter, where the Hat Kid fanclub will be established.


	11. Picture Perfect

Using her umbrella to slow her fall, Hat Kid looked around the set from above. She came back from her ship after putting away her 11th Time Piece and eating a quick dinner, which was mainly pizza.

She was gazing at a bustling city landscape. It was night time, so the stars were shining brightly as well as any lights. There were buildings of all shapes and sizes as well as a lot of Moon Penguins running around. She then spotted a stage with DJ Grooves' picture as a backdrop. About 7 Moon Penguins were standing around and DJ Grooves himself was standing on the stage.

"I'm sure she'll drop in any minute now," Hat Kid heard him say. She smirked a bit and guided her umbrella to the stage. She'll drop in, alright. Literally.

Once at a safe distance from the ground, she closed her umbrella and landed on her feet. She raised her arms up as a sort of pose with a smile. The Moon Penguins cheered a bit, seeing her. DJ Grooves was surprised but smiled.

"Not bad for an entrance, darling! Welcome to the first day of shooting." She smiled a bit, turning to DJ Grooves.

"Glad to be here."

He continued, "We need to transform you into the biggest movie star the bird world has ever seen! You need to become...a diva!"

"A diva?" This could be tougher than she thought. She's just a little girl with a hat. How could she become as famous as that? Hopefully, he won't ask her to sing or something.

"Quite right, darling. That's why I called a press conference here on our moon set. You need to get out there in front of the cameras and electrify the public! Get 'em really up and going for your movies!"

So all she has to do is pose in front of a few cameras and mingle with the public? Sounds simple enough.

"I'll also help you out by having a few call buttons for you to use. We can give you quite the good reputation when we do a few action moments." Hat Kid nodded in understanding.

"Once you've got them going crazy, come back to the stage and we'll show off our new prop! That's right, we'll unveil our new movie prop to the masses!" He must be referring to another Time Piece. Determined to get it, she nodded with a confident smile.

She hopped down from the stage and looked to the 7 Moon Penguins present. They all looked at her, causing her to go a bit shy. She looked to DJ Grooves, who gave her a thumbs-up. "You've got this, darling. Show them what you're made of."

She looked at them and shyly waved. The penguins clapped, giving her a bit more confidence. She looked out at the bustling streets and took a deep breath. It was time to become famous.

She ran along the streets, looking for any other Moon Penguin to wave to. Then a flash of light made her stop in her tracks and rub her eyes. One penguin took her picture. He must be a part of a paparazzi or something. He also shouted, "Thank you!"

After regaining her vision, she looked to the plaza fountain, where a small crowd of Moon Penguins gathered. She went over and waved to them, showing a small smile. They perked up a bit, seeing her, but not too much praise.

Hat Kid then noticed a button on the fountain base. It had DJ Grooves' face on it. This must be one of the call buttons. She pressed it and immediately heard DJ Grooves' voice.

"You called, darling? Looks like it's endorsement time!" He then stepped into the scene. A couple cameras fixated on the two.

"All you penguins out there know my name...DJ Grooves! And I'm telling you this young girl is the next hot thing. Guaranteed!" He motioned to Hat Kid, who looked at the camera with a tiny shy smile.

"Hi there."

The penguins clapped a bit louder. DJ Grooves continued, "Just look, as she'll climb up this statue and rescue the poor puppy that has gotten stuck! Right, darling?" Hat Kid looked up at the top of the fountain. It was a cardboard cut-out of a puppy that looked very similar to the one she rescued from a wood-cutting machine back in the Conductor's movie. If that _is_ the same dog, she would question how Scooter kept getting into dangerous situations like that.

But she did not have time to dwell on that. She looked to DJ Grooves with a nod. She then easily jumped up the statue fountain, scaling it until she reached the top. Then with a quick nudge, the dog was brought down from the top of the fountain.

"Look at that! She brought the puppy down, safe and sound! Too bad it ran off and definitely didn't break into multiple pieces." Hat Kid glanced down. It did break into multiple pieces. She could not do it in front of the cameras, but she quietly paid her respects. Rest in pieces, Scooter. ...But then again, they can be fixed with glue or tape.

"This is truly a diva I can get behind! Let it be known that this lil' girl is all about animals. Make sure you join her fan club! DJ Grooves...out!" With that statement, he left the scene and the cameras turned off. Her ratings skyrocketed from about 30 members of her fan club to now about 110.

With a confident smile, she hopped down from the fountain and looked for more attention. She spotted a few penguins close by, who looked to her.

"Hello?"

They cheered a bit. Ratings go up more. Hat Kid smiled and continued running around. She spotted a paparazzi penguin and this time, she was prepared. She did an action pose of her dashing through the air. The penguin took a perfect shot of it and shouted, "Wow!" The ratings rapidly grew. The flash of the camera did not even hurt her eyes this time. She must be getting used to them.

She then went around the corner and ended up in the back corner of an alleyway. A couple Moon Penguins were standing nearby, bickering about something. Maybe her awesome presence can break up the fight. She stepped forward but then heard a click under her feet. When she looked down, lifting her foot up, she realized she pressed a DJ Grooves call button.

He then jumps in, cameras set. "All you penguins out there know my name: DJ Grooves! And I'm here once more to tell you that this girl is the next hottest thing!" Hat Kid looked at one of the cameras and gave the audience a small shy wave. DJ Grooves then glanced over at the bickering penguins and got an idea on how to increase her popularity.

"Look at how street-smart this diva is. She's standing in this sinister alleyway, right next to some potential wrongdoers!"

The two penguins, overhearing, stopped bickering and looked to the cameras questionably. Hat Kid gave a shy wave to them. Surprisingly, they waved back with small smiles on their beaks.

"Danger is her middle name, and she's not afraid to step outside of her comfort zone! So make sure you join her fan club! DJ Grooves...out!" The cameras turned off and DJ Grooves steps away. Hat Kid's ratings skyrocketed. They were practically close to 10,000 fans! Hat Kid, ready to max out those ratings, ran around town some more.

She jumped into a few more photo opportunities, posing action shots through them. That kept her ratings climbing sky-high. It was almost to max. Probably one more photo or endorsement moment will do. She then spotted a couple cameras set up around a large bird's nest.

Curious by the sight, she climbed up and found herself in the middle of a card game with an egg wearing a fedora like one of the Moon Penguins. She could faintly see the number on one of the cards. Then, she spotted DJ Grooves' call button and pressed it.

He immediately jumped into the scene, cameras turning on. "All you penguins out there know my name: DJ Grooves! And I'm telling you if you already don't know by now that this girl is the next hot thing! Watch as she beats these hard-boiled card players at their own game...on her first try!"

Hat Kid's eyes widened a bit as she looked at the egg. Well, if she will be asked to know what one of his cards says, then this should not be too hard. DJ Grooves patted her back while saying, "This game is easy to understand, darling. You just guess which number of card the other player is holding from 1 to 10. So, which card do you think he's holding, darling?"

The camera zoomed in at an angle that showed Hat Kid thinking over what number of the cards can be seen by the audience. Little did they know that on one of the cards, it has the same appearance on both sides. To look impressive, Hat Kid looked up and hummed in thought.

"I'm gonna guess...three!"

The camera zoomed in on the card that had the number 3. DJ Grooves then shouted enthusiastically, "Wow, fantastic, incredible! The answer is indeed three! Folks at home, you have just witnessed the stunning intuition of a true star. Be sure to join her fan club! DJ Grooves...out!"

And the ratings shot over the maximum. Hat Kid was officially a diva. DJ Grooves hopped down to the stage and shouted while looking at the charts off-camera, "The audience is going crazy, darling! Come over here and show off our new stunner...our new prop!" He then held up the Time Piece as it shone brightly.

If Hat Kid was going to retrieve this, she was going to do it in style. She hopped down from the rooftops, wall jumped off the backboard of the stage, grabbed the Time Piece with a flip, and stuck the landing on stage with her arms out wide. The audience went wild as they cheered and applauded.

Time Piece in hand, she took a bow.

In the theatre on the day of its showing, the bird audience loved it! The style, the prop, and especially "The Mysterious Diva" Hat Kid. The points for the film were around 650-700, which meant the Conductor was running behind.

Speaking of the Conductor, he stood in the back of the theatre and growled, clenching his winged-fists.

"Alright, DJ Peck Neck. You wanna play rough? Well, let's see if you can outmatch me next film." He walked out the exit with an evil grin and dark chuckle.

"It's going to be _the bomb_."

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Ahhhh sorry it took long to get this up! I had tests to take care of as well as other important things. But at least I'm back. Hope I didn't keep you all waiting for long. x)


	12. Now a Brief Intermission

After yesterday's full day of movie acting, Hat Kid yawned as she sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes. Being a detective in a murder mystery and becoming a diva for millions of Moon Penguins can be exhausting. Well, at least she has the day off today while the two movie directors plan to work on their other movies before she showed up.

An alarm then rang out, making Hat Kid sit up. That's the intruder alert. She quickly grabbed her hat and ran out of her room. But when she went into the main hub, no Cooking Cat or Mustache Girl. Keeping her umbrella armed in case it was Mustache Girl, she checked the Machine Room.

What she saw baffled her. It was a jar filled with some...purple liquid and a pair of eyes. It wore a chef's hat and had a nose and mustache attached to the outside of it. She doesn't recall seeing anything like this anywhere.

She walked up to the jar, who looked up at her. It then, surprisingly, managed to speak in a gruff yet slightly familiar voice.

"So...we meet again. My arch nemesis."

Hat Kid tilted her head. The only enemy she seemed to make lately was MG. She gave the jar a shrug, signaling him that she has _no_ idea who he is.

He seemed a bit furious at the gesture as he hopped up and down in anger. "WHAT?! You don't remember me?! How rude!"

He hopped closer to her, causing her to take a step back. Looking at him up close was making her a bit uncomfortable.

"It's me, Boss of the Mafia! Remember? You defeated me in our little indiscretion. Then, your young 'friend' captured me, attacked me ruthlessly, and put my remains in this jar!" Hat Kid's eyes widened in shock. MG actually went through with her mush and jar plan? She actually felt a little bad for him.

"I only managed to escape the little-mustached menace when her back was turned. Now I am without a body! I should be furious! But, it is okay. The past is in the past." Hat Kid smiled a little bit. Maybe he's now learning to be a bit more humble.

"And I'll accept your carcass as an apology!"

Wait, what? Hat Kid hugged herself with a bit of shock. She then said, "You can't have my body! _I_ need it."

"YOU WON'T HAND IT OVER?! Such nerve on such a small child! If I had hands, I would slap you!" Hat Kid snickered at that. She would probably be more intimidated if he wasn't just an angry hopping jar that was smaller than her and has a mustache.

"Fine. I'll just buy a new body then! There has to be some poor soul out there who would be willing to trade his corpse for money! But enough of that. You should know that even though I may not look like it right now, but I am well traveled. I know the whereabouts of all secrets on this planet."

Hat Kid tilted her head, then crossed her arms. "Is this some sort of scam?"

"No no. No scam this time. I couldn't if I wanted to anyhow. I mean, look at me!" He hopped up and down a couple times. That is true; he can't really do much damage as a jar compared to how he was before their fight.

"You like badges, right? I can give you a map badge that can show you where you can find relics that could make you rich! Only 100 pons." He then tipped his chef hat, revealing a map badge inside the hat.

Hat Kid hummed in thought. That earthling sitting device was pretty cool. Maybe she could add more to her ship with these relics. With over 300 pons sitting in her pocket, she shrugged and complied. She set down two small bags, each filled with 50 pons, and took the badge.

"Good decision. Now off with you! I must think in peace." Hat Kid, with a small smirk, rolled her eyes and went back out into the main hub. Speaking of relics, she did manage to grab a couple pieces of one back at Dead Bird Studio.

Fixing up the pedestal, she put together a sort of train track landscape, then added the train. It then lit up and the train chugged along the tracks. Hat Kid's eyes lit up with wonder as she watched the train go along the circular track. She wrote down her title and description for this new relic.

"Tiny Train (and Birds?). This looks like a tiny version of the 'train' the 'birds' used to 'get to work.' Are there tiny birds in there? Do they make tiny 'movies?' I don't have time to deal with tiny bird society!"

She giggled a bit. Just as she wrote, this relic is faintly reminding her of the Owl Express and the birds she came across during her time at Dead Bird Studio.

She then jumped, startled by another alarm. Looking to the main computer, she saw that two more Time Rifts were detected at Dead Bird Studio. One was blue and the other was purple. She quickly pinpointed the location of the two rifts and headed out back to the studio. It may be her day off as a star, but Time Rifts don't take day offs.

* * *

Arriving at the studio, she walked up to the receptionist. With a smirk, she showed off her bird passport. He only huffed and rolled his eyes as she walked by and into DJ Grooves' set. After the wooden planks were taken down, much to the Conductor's dismay, it was open for her to enter. The Conductor's set still had an owl guarding the door.

Quietly walking around, she recalled the purple Time Rift being just above the Conductor's set. So if she could follow the same path she did without disrupting the Moon Penguins and DJ Grooves, then she'll find it. As DJ Grooves sat in his director chair, shouting various commands to the Moon Penguins, she looked at the clapperboard to see what movie he was directing.

"Panic at the Space Disco." Odd, and yet she felt like it was a reference to something somewhere. She continued forward and eventually arrived at the Conductor's movie set. She couldn't see much from her angle except the Conductor arguing with someone on set.

She continued looking around until, from up high past the set, she spotted the purple Time Rift. With a small smile, she began sneaking past to-

* _BANG_ *

Hat Kid froze. Was that a gunshot? She ran back and looked at the set. Her face went pale and her eyes went wide.

The Conductor, holding a winged-hand over his chest, fell onto his back. Blood could be seen darkening his train conductor's coat where he was holding his winged-hand. He coughed a little and then laid limp. Looming over him was a shady-figure of an owl. He had a bandana over his beak, a black cowboy hat, and a western poncho. He chuckled darkly as he held up his gun, a bit of smoke coming out of the barrel.

"Nooooooooooooooooooo!" The other Express Owls around the set turned their heads to the left side of the stage, startled in seeing Hat Kid run in. She ran right up to the armed owl and whacked him hard and against the wall with her umbrella. By the sheer force of the whack, her hat flew off her head and landed at her feet. She then looked down at the Conductor, tears showing in her eyes.

She hugged him and started to sob. A couple flashbacks of her past went through her mind. He can't be dead...she was starting to like him.

If the Conductor had eyes, they would be wide open. He realized what was going on as Hat Kid hugged him and sobbed. She was on set during an important scene. She jumped in when she wasn't even supposed to be here today.

Irritation and his normal level of anger boiled up as he sat up quickly. He held Hat Kid close as he did so. Sitting upright that roughly and quickly could've knocked her on her back.

"ALRIGHT! Which one of you peck necks let her onto the movie set?!"

The owls all looked at each other nervously. They didn't even know she was here. A couple of the owls looked at each other, then back to the Conductor. A few even pointed at each other, blaming one or the other.

The Conductor huffed with frustration. He can never rely on them. Then, he looked down at the sobbing girl. "And you, lass! What are-...?"

He was about to yell. Scold her for being here when she shouldn't be. But his expression softened from anger to mild surprise. Hat Kid was looking right up at him, trembling a little and tears rolling down her cheeks. A couple whimpers were even heard from her.

Those tears weren't fake. She was _actually_ crying. But why? He then glanced down at the "wound" on his chest. It did not take long for him to figure out why she was crying and why she jumped in. She thought he actually got shot. She believed that he was…

He moved her back a bit to allow her to see him clearly, causing her to whimper a bit, rubbing her eyes with her sleeves. Then, much to the Express Owls' complete shock, he spoke in a gentle tone.

"Now now, little lass. I'm not dying." He smiled a little to comfort her as he rubbed his winged-hand over the wound. It came right off his conductor's coat and was now staining his hand. He held it out to her. "It's just a bit of greasepaint is all. See? No harm done."

Hat Kid sniffled, looking down at the "wound." It came right off his chest and now sat in his hand. Greasepaint? To make sure, she carefully rubbed her finger in the paint and found her finger stained with the very same paint. She looked back up to the Conductor, who was giving a gentle smile.

He really was okay. He's not hurt. With a shaky smile, a few more tears went down her cheeks. This time, they were tears of relief. She hugged the Conductor once more, letting a few hiccups escape. That was too close to reliving a death of someone she knew back at her old home.

The Conductor was a bit startled by the second hug, but he looked down at her with a small smile. His grandparental instincts kicked in as he rubbed his winged-hands through her hair and along her back in comfort all while hugging her. "Okay okay, it's okay, little lass."

He then looked up at the Express Owls. They were looking at him with wide open beaks and eyes. They have never seen this gentle side of him. The Conductor noticed this and he quickly cleared his throat, speaking in his normal commanding tone. "Alright, boys! We're going to take five, then take it from the top."

After snapping out of their shocked states, they nodded and walked off to get some refreshments. The Express Owl dressed as the bandit that shot the Conductor also got up and followed. Hat Kid hit him hard, but the worst he got out of it was a bruise and a bit of soreness.

The Conductor looked down at Hat Kid, who was beginning to calm down. She sniffled and unhugged, quietly apologizing. He glanced over at her hat, lying on the ground close by. He placed it back on her head and replied, "It's alright, lassie. Yer new to the sets and you didn't know it was fake." He then stood up.

"Let's get some refreshments ourselves." Hat Kid nodded, holding his winged-hand. He was, once again, a bit surprised by the gesture. But he sighed and allowed it. The two went backstage to his office. Hat Kid noticed on the way one open room with a few Bird Movie Award trophies in sight. Interesting…

Once they arrived in the Conductor's office, Hat Kid got a good look around it. Many western themed decorations, but mainly trains. There was a kid's train conductor hat sitting on a shelf with a single Bird Movie Award trophy. Its plague stated "Annual Bird Movie Award. The Conductor." Must be his first win. There was also a massive pile of unopened envelopes near an empty closet. A couple red stamps could be seen stating: "Payment Due." Must be bills; yikes.

The Conductor walked over to his personal refreshments table and hands her a sealed up water bottle. She quietly took it and began sipping as she sat down on a small bench just near the door. The Conductor then pulled up his chair and sat down in front of her.

"So, you mind telling me why yer here when you have the day off?"

Hat Kid glanced down. She couldn't just say she came to fix a Time Rift caused by the very "props" he has been using in his movies. If he found out what they could do, it could end badly like MG.

"I um...just wanted to see what you and DJ were up to."

"Well next time, let me know. You interrupted an important scene in the movie we've been working for weeks on."

"I said I was sorry. I just…" She looked down. It was pretty self-explanatory why she jumped in like that. She heard the Conductor sigh and saw him gently tilt her chin back up.

"Lass, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, okay? It takes a lot more than a simple gunshot to get rid of me." He said that with a smirk, but his expression told her he sincerely meant it. "Got that?"

She nodded. "Good. Now off with you. I've got a movie to record." Hat Kid smiled a bit and exited his office, heading back to the mission at hand.

As the Conductor watched her leave, he sighed and turned to his lavatory mirror. He stared at himself and spoke quietly, "Yer getting in too deep, Conductor. Next thing I know, the owls'll say I've gone soft. ...This next movie will tell them otherwise though." With a determined nod, he got up and headed back to his set.

* * *

Hat Kid blinked her eyes open after the blinding flash of the Time Rift and looked around. She found herself on a towering pile of supply crates, floating in the mildly dark gray abyss. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a golden page floating close by. She grabbed it, put it in her pocket, and headed down the hatch to the next part of the area.

The procedure was slightly similar in navigating through the rift. Collect the Rift Pons and golden pages and jump to the next area. The only large difference was the obstacles that were in her way. She had to shy away from the cameras, not wanting any enemies to know she was here. Sometimes she found herself running along wirelines just above dangerous waters below. She can swim, but not too well for too long. Then she would find herself running through a maze of towering supply crates.

Until finally, after grabbing the last golden page in the last area, she looked inside the broken office room of the studio. Broken windows, dark liquid puddles along the ground, and metal support beams broken down from the ceiling. She spotted the Time Rift, hovering in the middle of the hazardous room, and immediately jumped in past the large broken window. She gave it a few good whacks with her umbrella and it shattered, flashing.

The repaired Time Piece floated into her hands and she smiled warmly as it flashed bright white and took her back to where she found the Time Piece. Putting the Time Piece in her pocket, she headed for the Owl Express parked outside to get the blue Time Rift.

But before she progressed into the Time Rift, she sat down at one of the booths. Digging through her pockets, she found the pages she collected already together in a little picture-storybook. The title read: "Conductor (and) Grooves' Big Dreams" with a picture of the Annual Bird Movie trophy. She opened it up and read through.

The next page showed two separate houses in separate places. On the left was a wooden house in the middle of the desert. Another showed a modern, space-like house on the moon.

The next page made Hat Kid's eyes widen a little and giggle. The Conductor and DJ Grooves on their split sides of the page as children. The Conductor wore a striped-shirt and a kid's train conductor hat, laying on the train track patterned carpet while keeping his head propped up with his hands as his elbows supported him. DJ Grooves wore star-shaped shades, but not as dark as the ones the current DJ Grooves wore, so she could see the wonder in his eyes as he watched the TV in his overalls. He also surprisingly had the afro at his age, but a bit smaller than the one he had to this day.

The two may be from different places and shown split apart in the storybook, but in the next page, it showed that they were doing one thing at the same time: watching the Annual Bird Movie Awards. A puffin movie director held up the trophy with a proud smile.

In the next page, both boys shared the same dream bubble. They planned on becoming the number one bird movie director. The praise, the trophy, and the glory. What more could they want?

The next page transitioned to "Years later…" as it showed both the Conductor and DJ Grooves, grown up, approaching the rented Dead Bird Studio. It was right in the middle of the separate worlds the two birds were coming from.

Then, the next two pages, the two birds finally meet. But the greeting was not friendly in the slightest. They both held the key to the studio, but they could not find the common ground to share it. They argued on who should properly own the studio, what they should film, etc.

And thus, for the final page, the studio was split between these two worlds. The left side as the Conductor's set for his western-themed films and the right side being DJ Grooves' set for sci-fi themed movies; their rivalry living on to this day.

Hat Kid hummed with mild disappointment and thought. She closed the book and pocketed it, making her way to the blue Time Rift. As soon as she entered and began jumping and navigating through, she kept the story in her thoughts.

Sure the two birds came from conflicting parts of the world, but why shouldn't they get along? The rivalry was pretty ugly between the two directors and even their crew noticed this. Next thing Hat Kid knew, they would start adding in dangerous effects in order to try and one-up each other. Or even go so far to cheat or sabotage. They share the same dream, so why can't they share it together?

Hat Kid grabbed the Time Piece at the end of the mystic realm and was taken back home.

"Maybe things will cool down tomorrow…"

.

.

.

Yeah, it's not. We all know that tomorrow for her will start off and end with a bang. Also, got the idea on the Conductor's comfort from a vid by JF4 Draws, who also got the idea from kaetanye4kaisareallybadnickname, so props to them for this cutesy idea. x) Anyways, until the next chapter, keep strong and happy. ;)


	13. Presenting: Train Rush

Hat Kid arrived bright and early once more, hopping onto the Owl Express before it chugged off down the tracks. The Conductor looked up from his pocket watch and smiled to Hat Kid.

"About time ye got here, lassie. Here, you're gonna need this for our next film." He hands her a new badge: the Hookshot badge. "It's only a rental though. I'm gonna need it back after we're done." Hat Kid smiled and placed it on her hat, giving her umbrella the ability to act much like a grappling hook just by pressing a button on the handle that appeared.

"Now, go on in. We're getting ready to shoot the BIGGEST action movie in bird history! The movie is gonna be THE BOMB! GWAHAHAHAHA!" He then stopped cackling when he glanced down at Hat Kid. She gave him a suspicious look while tilting her head. It was clear she did not like the sound of that.

He cleared his throat and fixed the collar of his train conductor's coat. "A-and I mean bomb in a good way, ye peck neck." He then entered the car, avoiding eye contact with her. He seemed less nice today than he was yesterday.

Hat Kid shrugged it off though. It was morning. A lot of people can get cranky in the morning. She entered the train car and noticed a few Express Owls chattering amongst themselves. They murmured, asking each other about the movie and if it was odd they loaded more explosives today. Hat Kid's attention was on the Badge Seller though as he stood to the side, with a couple owls eyeing him with strange looks.

"You're here too?" Hat Kid went up to the Badge Seller. He simply smirked, or at least it seemed like he was based the tone of his voice. One could only presume.

"Of course. I am a simple traveler that sells my findings, after all. Speaking of, have you come to make another purchase?"

Hat Kid hummed in thought, then shook her head no. "Fair enough. I'm sure I will have something that will catch your eye one day."

Hat Kid nodded, then looked back down at her umbrella, recalling the Hookshot badge she had now. She should probably practice before they actually start filming. Looking around, she then spotted a hook above her to some sort of switch. Guessing it was for the door, which was oddly blocked off with an iron gate, she decided to try her Hookshot move.

She clicked the button on her umbrella, having a grappling hook shot from the top of it and latch onto the hook. The switch then clicked and lowered, but the door remained locked. Before Hat Kid could question, a TV screen turned on that was wired in next to the locked door. The Conductor was then shown and he looked concerned.

"Alright, lassy. Listen up. I have some bad news. That lever you just pulled, uh...it starts the train's self-destruct sequence, and that ain't no joke. It'll blow up!"

Hat Kid's eyes widened. Who thought it was a good idea to put a self-destruct sequence on a train? The Express Owls, overhearing, gasped and began to look panicked.

"Now don't give me that look! I need a movie with some REAL intense action, so that's what we're gonna do! The train's gonna blow up in a few minutes! But, you can save us all, lassy! Get to the switch at the front of the train to turn it off! And yer better make it time, alright?! I don't care about the owls or yerself, but you don't DARE blow up me train for real! It's my baby."

Hat Kid actually seemed hurt by the second to last statement. He didn't care? The Conductor finished, "The cameras are gonna be rollin' lassy, you hurry now! Go! Over and out!" The screen went static and chaos began. A female automated voice then rang out.

" **2 minutes and 0 seconds until self-destruct. Oh no.** "

The Express Owls began to cower, scream, and run in circles. This was, by far, the craziest thing the Conductor has ever planned. He's going to _literally_ blow up his train just for the movie! The gate on the door in front of Hat Kid went down and she immediately took off through it. No way was she going to die like this!

The second she stepped through the door, however, her heart sank. There was no library car or cafeteria car with an easy hallway for her to go through. Instead, it was like she walked into a nuclear factory. Nuclear waste flooded the floor, with Hat Kid needing to rely on breaking platforms to keep her from falling in, and mini explosives were going off along the path.

This cannot end well.

But Hat Kid took off her signature top hat and placed on her Sprint Hat. With a lighter weight on her head and better motion, she began sprinting through. A couple owls off to the side were cheering and/or shouting for her to hurry.

With each new room, there were more obstacles and more dangerous hazards to behold. More explosives were thrown at her, more toxic waste was there to dodge, and, oddly, a jazz band was playing intense music to make her stress the danger of the situation. Movie or not, this was life-threatening.

After passing two rooms, she shrieked as a chainsaw zoomed in front of her, nearly cutting her. It cut off the car in half and Hat Kid had to jump her way across. The same tactic applied to the other two cars in front of her. Her Hookshot came in handy as she spotted a few floating hooks down her path.

" **1 minute and 30 seconds until self-destruct. Better hurry.** "

Shooting up a chimney to the roof of the train, Hat Kid froze as she watched two of the large cars in front of her detached from the train itself and go flying off the tracks. She had to shake her head and keep going, however. Spotting a few floating hooks, she began using her Hookshot to get herself across the large gap, swinging into the window of the next train car.

It was a miracle, seeing there were no glass shards embedded in her in doing that. But she had no time to dwell on the missing logic. Looking ahead, now there was lava and fire instead of nuclear waste. The explosions were the same at least.

"Oh give me a break!"

She began running through the narrow path as she hopped platform to platform, trying her very best to dodge every missile that came at her. When she did try to grapple over a wall of fire, however, her arm came up short and a trace of fire hit her on the elbow.

She yelped with great pain and landed, holding the injured arm close. A couple tears started to show, but she forced herself to keep it together. She was on camera, after all. The audience is not going to get the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

" **1 minute until self-destruct. We're doomed.** "

She took a deep breath, swallowed the lump forming in her throat, and pressed on. She kept her injured arm to her chest as she continued running and jumping as fast as she could.

Meanwhile, the Conductor was at the front of the train, anxiously waiting for Hat Kid to show and stop the bomb. The switch, a large button, to turn off the bomb was in the middle of the locomotive. He looked at his pocket watch, standing close to the button, and mumbled, "C'mon, lassie…"

" **30 seconds until self-destruct.** "

Hat Kid reached the door, practically tripping over it. She slammed it open, immediately spotted the button, and leaped. Falling right onto it, a click was heard and the alarms ceased. The Conductor seemed thrilled, and internally relieved, she made it as he closed his pocket watch and showed an eager grin.

"Ohhh you made it! And in time!" He then turned to a monitor nearby him as Hat Kid laid on the floor over the button, panting like she ran a marathon. He rewound the footage he got of Hat Kid running through the cars and smiled mischievously. "Oh ho ho hoooo. Look at all this raw footage we got! Look at how yer-yer runnin' for dear life! Gwaha- HAHAHAHA!"

Hat Kid sat up slowly. She was sweating, her clothes were ragged, and her elbow still burnt from the fire attack. Now that she was finally able to catch her breath, she took a look at the damage. The fire burnt through the sleeve and the wound made her go a little pale. Red and blistered. Any second longer and it would've been a third-degree burn, as dark as smoke. And above all, she was trembling. She could have literally died. And just as the Conductor said, he wouldn't have cared.

All she could do was look up, shaking like a leaf and with tears threatening to appear in her eyes and fall down her cheeks. He only glanced at her, not giving her condition much thought as he said, "What? We did it in the name of cinematography! And to beat that no-good DJ Grooves! I bet he won't be able to make HALF the movie we just made!"

He then dug into the inside pocket of his conductor's coat and pulled out a Time Piece. He tossed it to Hat Kid dismissively and said, "Alright here, take one of these uh...thingamajigs you like. You deserve it."

Hat Kid caught it with her good arm...but only stared down at it. Normally, she would be happy to get another Time Piece. It meant she was one Time Piece closer to getting all her fuel back and getting her home. But somehow, this one did not change how she felt at the moment.

Anger. Terror. Hurt. That was all she was feeling. The Conductor finally looked at her when she heard her sniffle. "...Lassie?"

She finally stood up, wiping her tears away. He wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Oh no, it's not going to be like yesterday. He's not going to care anyhow. If he didn't care she was dead, why would he give her sympathy now? She then recalled the rental Hookshot badge he gave her and took it off her hat.

She gave him a dark glare and threw it at him. He flinched, but caught it and looked down at it. Then looking back up, he finally noticed the injured arm. "Lass...did-" But before he could question, Hat Kid stormed out. Once outside the locomotive, she used the Time Piece to float her up back to her spaceship, leaving the Conductor alone in the locomotive.

* * *

The Conductor groaned, propping his head in his hands.

He was sitting in his office, in front of his lavatory dresser. His hat was off as he stared down at the Hookshot badge sitting in front of him.

He groaned in frustration. Today is not turning out to be a great day he had hoped for. The Express Owls are upset with him due to risking their lives and ruining their transportation. His train is also a wreck. Hat Kid may have stopped the bomb, but the cars were damaged with nuclear waste, fire, lava, and explosive debris. Not to mention the two cars that flew right off the tracks he will need to track down and repair. More bills came in today as well. Probably the payment for his beautiful train's damage and all the explosives he bought. And above all his problems...Hat Kid.

Questions filled his thoughts. Why was Hat Kid so upset? " _It was all fer the movie. All for getting a better film than that DJ Peck Neck. She should be thrilled like I am!_ "

Should he have told her what was exactly happening? " _No, it would have ruined the movie experience. I told the lass the cameras were rollin'. She should've guessed. Besides, even if she wasn't going to make it, I would've turned it off for her._ "

Did she actually get hurt? " _That...injury on her arm seemed bad. Did...did I cause that?_ "

Why does he actually care? " _..._ "

As the Conductor buried his face in his hands, he then heard a young voice.

"Such a selfish girl, isn't she?"

The Conductor, startled by the surprise visitor, quickly put back on his cap and turned to the stranger. The figure stood in the shadows, but their presence was made clear.

"Lassie?"

"Not quite. But y'know, she did have it coming. I saw all that footage; pretty intense movie. The birds seemed to have loved it in the theatre."

"How did you get into me office? I should call the owl guards right on you-"

"No need. I only came to tell you something you should know about your 'lassie.' She's been deceiving you for her selfish needs."

The Conductor's expression turned to mild shock. That can't be true. His lass-...That kid wouldn't intentionally deceive him. But before he began to state his disbelief, a slightly dark smile formed on the figure's face as their golden-orange eyes shone in the shadows.

"Do you recall those hourglass 'props' you found?"


	14. The Big Parade

Hat Kid hissed in pain as she ran the wound under cold sink water. That darn Conductor. What made him think putting up all those traps and hazards was a good idea? What if she didn't make it in time to shut off the bomb?

She only sighed, rubbing her eyes with her pointer finger and thumb, in frustration. She should have known fame was going to overrule common sense, but she worried it would have gotten to _her_ head, not the directors themselves.

Shutting off the faucet, she shook her head. No, DJ Grooves hasn't been too bad. Unlike the Conductor, he mostly keeps his cool. She wrapped her wounded elbow with a pad and bandages and rolled her new shirt sleeve over it. Fixing the burnt hole on the other shirt was probably too advanced for her stitching skills, but she does enjoy a challenge.

As she began sewing up a cute puppy paw print patterned patch over the hole, she quietly began questioning if she should even go to DJ Grooves' next act tonight. But she quickly dismissed the thought. The award ceremony is tomorrow. If she doesn't show, then the Conductor will win unfairly because she went to both his movies and not both DJ Grooves' movies.

She finished sewing and hung up the shirt in her mostly empty closet. She then grabbed her umbrella, made her way to the hatch, and hopped down to the planet.

Besides, what could DJ Grooves come up with that will be extremely dangerous?

* * *

Floating down, Hat Kid's eyes widened. Surrounding the streets was a _large_ crowd of birds. There was no way to land down there without being hit or mobbed. Luckily, the rooftops seemed clear. She landed on the one in the center of the town, where DJ Grooves was waiting.

Looking around, Hat Kid's eyes sparkled. She's never seen a parade before back home. The people that lived on her planet were not very festive. She saw giant floats with all sorts of colorful decorations, hanging wirelines with colorful lights, and giants switches and buttons. It all looked beautiful.

What was strange though was the 7 Express Owls standing in line with instruments. She walked up to them and questioned how are they in DJ Grooves' movie. One of them answered, "After the Conductor's film today, we wanted to be part of a movie that doesn't involve us getting blown to bits just for entertainment. Just uh...don't tell the Conductor. We need the job."

Hat Kid nodded. Their secret was safe with her. DJ Grooves walked up to her with a bright smile and shouted, "Glad you could make it, darling! Welcome to the largest studio set you'll ever see! We're about to start recording The Big Parade, the movie that'll take the breath away from audiences worldwide! You'll be the star, as always."

Hat Kid's eyes sparkled. Not only was it her first time seeing a parade, but she gets to _lead_ the parade? She was wondering if her heart could take all the excitement and eagerness she was now feeling.

He then pointed up at a large golden celebratory ball hanging above them. Hat Kid squinted a bit, looking up to it, and noticed the familiar glow emanating from the inside. A Time Piece must be in there.

To confirm her assumption, DJ Grooves said, "For this movie, we'll need to use our special prop! It'll pop out at the very end." He then looked down at her and blinked. She was wearing the same outfit he normally saw her in. Does she not have a glamorous wardrobe?

"But wait, darling! Your current outfit really isn't fit for the parade. Luckily I had the Moon Penguins prepare you a lovely outfit." He then held out a present box, neatly wrapped in a bedazzling ribbon and outer space patterned wrapping paper. "Go on ahead and open it up, then get dressed."

Hat Kid's eyes lit up. A new outfit to go in her wardrobe along with the detective coat and hat? She eagerly opened it like a child would on Christmas. Inside was a lovely parade outfit. A red and white coat with golden threads, white dress boots, and above all, a tall red and gold parade hat with a mask, beak, and feather.

She eagerly put on the coat and hat over her old clothes and stood proudly. DJ Grooves smiled at her enthusiasm and said, "You look great, darling!"

"So...what exactly do I need to do?"

"Don't worry, this movie is really easy. Just keep moving around and the band will follow you. Just try not to bump into them. And keep an eye out for goodies! The audience loves a good parade and will throw treats your way if you get near them." Hat Kid nodded in understanding. She wasn't planning on diving down to the sea of birds, but going rooftop to rooftop shouldn't be difficult.

"Now the parade lasts a while; nothing you can do to speed it up. We'll let you know once we've got enough footage. Don't lose spirit!" Hat Kid smiled and saluted, causing DJ Grooves' smile to widen. He then hopped onto one of the floats with a DJ record table and speakers.

"Good luck, darling!" Hat Kid got ready to march as the band went behind her. DJ Grooves flipped a switch on his DJ record table and the music began. Hat Kid took off with the band following behind her and playing along with the music with their instruments.

At first, Hat Kid just circled the roof, wondering if the band could even keep up with her jumping to the next. Deciding to try it out, Hat Kid hopped off and onto a wireline. She then jumped to the neighboring roof and looked behind her. The band was right behind her, surprisingly as nimble.

With a confident smile, Hat Kid continued marching. A few penguins were standing close by and one of them tossed her a bag of seeds. Hat Kid caught it and gave a questionable look. " _I guess this is what DJ meant when he said they would toss treats._ " Not wanting to be rude, she put it in her pockets and waved to the penguin in a way of saying thanks.

The real treats she got that she truly appreciated were the roses. She had enough to make a bouquet out of them. Looking down at them as she continued marching and jumping, she was smiling brightly. This had to be one of her best movie moments ever. No major dangerous stunts and nothing is planning to attack her.

DJ Grooves' voice was then heard as he spoke into his microphone. "It's time to turn the heat up in this movie!" The crowd below cheered wildly. He then looked to Hat Kid and asked, "Darling, can you turn on the pyrotechnics?" She nodded in confirmation and looked at the switches on the rooftops that were now lit up.

She jumped to one switch and whacked it hard with her umbrella, turning it on. The music seemed to intensify as she continued going, doing the same for the other two switches that were all on various rooftops. Once she hit the last one, she saw a spotlight shine on the center rooftop in town. It counted down 3 seconds, then sparklers went off. To Hat Kid's dismay, however, they seem to be hurting the Moon Penguins standing on the rooftop as they jumped up and down, yelping.

DJ Grooves was watching this as well. " _Wait...that can't be right. The sparklers are meant to go off, but not also on the rooftop flooring._ " He shook away the thought. Probably a small mistake on his part. Besides, once the sparklers automatically turned off and went to the next rooftop, the penguins were fine.

Hat Kid saw the Moon Penguins were fine as well. Still, that looked like it hurt. She decided to watch her step as she continued marching. Besides, it was probably part of the act. The music picked back up its normal upbeat tune and Hat Kid smiled. Aside from dodging the rooftops that have sparklers going off, this was still enjoyable.

DJ Grooves watched her with a bright smile. Seeing her do her tricks on the wirelines and smiling brightly was exactly the inspiration he had for this movie. This child's joy was starting to rub off on him. But he then recalled the Conductor's latest action movie. Firstly, it was surprising she would still be able to come after something so intense. But secondly, the birds seemed to _love_ the movie.

Concerned the movie isn't action-packed enough, he grabbed his microphone and said, "This movie needs more action! Darling, turn on the firework cannons for the big firework show!" Hat Kid's eyes sparkled. Fireworks? She hasn't seen those in a long time!

Excited, she ran to the first rooftop with a large power button sitting next to a cannon. She jumped onto it and began moving onto the next. But something felt wrong. She heard the cannon go off and she looked up, expecting to see a firework rocket blast in the night sky and rain down shimmering colors. But no rocket was there. Instead...it sounded close?

DJ Grooves looked up as well, wondering where the rocket was until he looked to Hat Kid, making sure she actually pushed the button. Maybe it was stuck. Then his eyes widened when he spotted the rocket. It wasn't going up; it was heading straight for her!

His flippers slipped as he scrambled to grab his microphone and shout, "DARLING LOOK OUT!"

Hat Kid turned around, confused. She then gasped, seeing the rocket coming up at her fast. She screamed and jumped out of the way, just barely catching the wireline close by. The owls followed her as the rocket blew up where she last stood. Firework rockets aren't supposed to do that, right?

She yelped when another one shot right at her, following her movement. She climbed up onto the wireline and ran as it blew up behind her and the owls. She was going to guess her answer for the previous question no, they're not supposed to do that!

But she had to continue the parade. If she didn't turn on all the buttons, the movie won't finish. She quickly began running to the next button, treating this as a life or death situation now as more missiles blasted at her.

DJ Grooves was watching with bated breath. " _How did this happen? Surely I ordered firework rockets, not heat seeking missiles! They were supposed to shoot into the sky, raining down fabulous colors!_ " Seeing the missiles head for the panicked girl, he noticed how they looked similar to actual firework rockets. Someone must have sabotaged his props and replaced the rockets with these missiles.

With all buttons pushed, Hat Kid yelped as she jumped away from the rooftop as three colorful missiles were aiming straight for her. They exploded onto the previous rooftop and Hat Kid kept going, quietly hoping they were almost done with the movie now.

As she dodged a couple more missiles, she noticed her only landing she was heading straight for was the one with sparklers going off. Before she could stop herself, she landed right onto it, yelping in great pain as electricity shot right through her. Thankfully, they stopped before she was too weak to even stand. But an explosion directly behind her knocked her off the roof and falling to the crowd with a scream.

DJ Grooves gasped and closed his eyes. Thankfully, Hat Kid grabbed a close wireline and got back up on her feet. That was it. The movie has to finish. Otherwise, his star was going to get killed. He pushed a red button on his DJ record table and shouted, "Time to release the parade surprise! Grab it, darling!"

Hat Kid looked up and saw the Time Piece fall out along with some confetti. She quickly jumped up and caught it out of the air and held it up high, causing the crowd to cheer loudly. Once that was set, DJ Grooves literally cut the power. The laser lights, sparklers, and firework cannons all turned off. One more missile in the air still headed for Hat Kid. She quickly jumped out of the way, stumbling back to the edge of the rooftop.

DJ Grooves jumped off his float and grabbed her hand, pulling her back onto the roof. The cameras were off and the crowd began to quiet down and disperse below.

Hat Kid was panting and visibly shaking. Just when she thought she finally caught a break after the Conductor's film, all that happened. She sat down, hugging the Time Piece close, thankful it was over.

DJ Grooves knelt down, worried for her condition. "Are you alright, darling? I am _so_ sorry! Those rockets were not meant to lock onto you or try to hit you. I had no idea how they were put into the cannons!" It wasn't until after he said that when he got the idea how. Something...or he should say _someone_ must've put them in to try and sabotage his movie.

He growled under his breath at the assumption. But he shook his head. He'll give that person a piece of his mind later. Right now, he had to make sure his diva was still intact. He looked her over. Aside from a couple bruises, soreness in her body, and being shaken up from the experience, she seemed fine.

He then looked at the bandage on her sleeve. "Darling, what's this?" From what he saw in the Conductor's movie, he recalled that was the same spot she got burnt by the fire wall.

Hat Kid tucked her arm away and quietly replied, "Nothing."

He wasn't going to fall for that. He held her arm firmly and unwrapped the bandage despite her protest. His eyes widened when he saw the wound. It looked slightly less red, but it still looked and felt painful. A couple blisters were still there as well.

"...How did you get this?" He spoke in a serious tone, which concerned Hat Kid. He never normally spoke in such a manner.

"...Conductor." That was all she needed to say. He growled once more. He couldn't believe the Conductor would put this young girl in such danger like that and not care! Does he even know he caused this much harm to her?

"...Let's go to my office, darling. I've got something that can fix it right up." He gently took her other hand and the two walked to his office. It looked more glamorous than the Conductor's side of the studio. One difference was he did not have a room she spotted with a _lot_ of golden Bird Movie Award Trophies. Instead, they were silver trophies and not neatly stacked. They seemed...tossed aside dismissively.

Once they entered his office, he set her down in his director's chair and dug through a cabinet. He pulled out a bottle filled with some strange gelatinous green liquid. Hat Kid shifted in her seat, wondering what he was going to do with it.

He knelt down to her level, squirting the liquid onto one of his flippers. He then set down the bottle and held out his other flipper while saying, "Your arm, darling." She hesitated, but held it out.

"...What is that?" It smelled nice at least. Something floral? No, it wasn't like a flower. But it smelled pretty. He applied it to her wound, making her flinch. It was a bit cold...yet soothing on her wound.

"Aloe vera, darling. Can help any burn wound like this." Once it was on, he put a cloth pad over the wound and bandaged it back up. Then he handed her the bottle. "Keep this on hand and applying it to the wound for the next couple days. It'll heal up in no time."

She looked down at the bottle, then the wound in surprise. It actually stung less now. She smiled warmly to DJ Grooves and hugged him, in a way of saying thank you. He smiled as well and patted her back. "Get some good rest, darling. The awards ceremony is tomorrow and it's going to be a big day for all of us."

Hat Kid nodded, then climbed down from the chair, making her way to the door exit. But before she left, she looked to DJ Grooves with a warm smile. She then stated, "Good luck."

With that, she left him alone in his office with a warm smile. As she made her way to the exit of the studio, a figure watched her leave and huffed. He then mumbled under his breath.

"We'll see who really wins…lassie."


	15. And the Winner is:

DJ Grooves wasn't kidding. Looking in the mirror, she saw her burn wound looked better today. Blisters were gone and it was only slightly red, much like a sunburn. After applying a bit more aloe vera for it, she reapplied a new bandage and adjusted her hat.

Today's the day. The Annual Bird Movie Awards. She was still slightly sore from yesterday's mess, but nothing she couldn't handle. She wondered if she would dress up for it. Would the winning director take note of how they couldn't have done it without her amazing acting skills?

Even though she was quietly hoping she helped the right bird to win, she was excited nonetheless. With a bright, eager smile, she grabbed her umbrella and immediately made her way down to the planet.

* * *

Hat Kid arrived just in time for the ceremony. Looking at the stage past the cheering Express Owls, she saw the Conductor bowing down as he stood right next to the golden Annual Bird Movie Awards Trophy. He looked pretty smug about it.

Her smile faded seeing him after yesterday...but she had to be a fair sport about it. Maybe before she ran off, he wanted to apologize? Deciding to give him a chance, she nudged past the owls and approached the front row.

"Thank you, thank you! Oh, yer too kind! No no, please, keep going." He then looked directly at Hat Kid and he surprisingly smiled brightly at her.

"Oh! Lassie, it's you! I did it! I won the Annual Bird Movie Award once again! Ohh, imagine the face DJ Grooves must be pulling now, eh? Heheheheh!"

"Heh...yeah…" Hat Kid only glanced to the side. Maybe he forgot about the fiasco yesterday? Maybe she overreacted? After all, it was show business. She decided to forgive and forget as well as a small smile showed. "I'm proud, Conductor. Congrats."

He seemed to be a bit surprised hearing that, but it quickly changed to his previous smiling expression as he dug through his conductor's coat. "Here, take this tiny _insignificant_ movie prop to match yer tiny insignificant efforts in securing my victory. You can probably sell it on eBird fer dimes and nickels." He held out a Time Piece for her.

Hat Kid honestly felt a bit offended. Surely she played a better role in helping him secure that victory. The way he said the Time Piece was insignificant though...it gave off a bad vibe. ...Maybe it was her imagination. She smiled and took it while thanking him.

Her smile faded when his smile turned into a sort of scowl. He seemed...hurt? Hat Kid tilted her head, looking up at him. He replied, "What? You're expecting more or something? Forget it. Go! Shush! Get out of here! I never want to see yer ugly mug again!"

Hat Kid was startled now. Just...dismissing her like that. And such an insult after all she did to help him. She returned the scowl and stomped her foot. "Fine. But good luck finding a diva better than me to help with your next movies!"

The Conductor scoffed as Hat Kid harrumphed and turned away, marching out of that studio. The Conductor watched her go, his angered expression softening. He didn't truly mean to insult her like that...but he shook his head. No, she deserved it. Hiding the truth about those props for her own needs. Well, as he patted his front inside pocket of his coat, he reassured himself that that will change soon enough.

Hat Kid sighed as she gently placed the Time Piece back in the vault where it belonged. 16 Time Pieces on hand now. Already almost halfway through getting them all. But somehow, she did not seem as thrilled about it as she should be. Why did the Conductor have to be such a jerk? She bet that if she decided not to help him with his movies, DJ would've won. Maybe that would've been better and she should've tried harder in his films to make it happen.

But before she could pace and grumble about it or vent about it in her diary, she heard the dial phone go off. She froze, looking at it as it rang. She hasn't used that since...after she left home years ago. She gave up using it when the receivers never answered for what seemed like the millionth time.

She hesitantly picked up, holding the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

The scratchy deep voice from the Murder on the Owl Express film answered, making her eyes widen. How was that even possible?

"The Annual Bird Movie Award was rigged. It was an inside job. The winner knows about the power of the Time Pieces. He's been keeping one and he's going to break it. The truth lies underneath Dead Bird Studio. What goes on in Dead Bird Studio when no one is around? Blow the cover on this thing, darling." Then, they hung up.

Hat Kid didn't even hear the last statement as the phone fell out of her hands, leaving it to dangle by its cord, and sprinted out of the Machine Room, heading to the hatch.

It was time to pay one last visit to Dead Bird Studio.

* * *

Darkness. That was all Hat Kid saw the moment she entered the front door. The lights were off and the studio was completely empty. Seems after the ceremony, everyone went home. She could faintly make out where she was going to the always-shining Dead Bird Studio logo and sign at the reception desk.

She got in the way she did the first time: through the vent. This time, no fine was even going to slow her down. She made her way across the back area of DJ Grooves' part of the studio as her voice echoed through the empty area when she jumped up stacks of boxes.

Once entering the Conductor's side, she spotted the elevator she overlooked on her first visit. The only way to go in it was down and that's what Hat Kid set it to. The elevator opened and she entered, umbrella in hand and ready for anything.

The ride down was long, but the moment it reached its destination, Hat Kid headed forward. All sorts of supplies and crates were scattered around the vast basement of the studio. Running through, she also spotted even more piles of unpaid bills. She supposed it made sense since she doesn't recall seeing any other cinemas on the planet and destroying trains would get pricey after a few takes.

The way to continue forward was nothing but an empty deep gap below and a few electric wirelines to go along on to get to the solid ground on the other side. Since when has that been a problem for the famous tightrope-walking Hat Kid? She tilted her hat downward and started hopping across wireline to wireline, being cautious of the electric soundwaves it emitted.

Once on the other side, she jumped, hearing the Conductor's voice muffled through the walls. She couldn't quite make out what he said, but she faintly heard "Time Piece" and "don't need this one." He seemed to be either arguing with someone or with himself. If he is arguing with himself, then that was actually kind of sad. But Hat Kid shook her head. The mysterious voice told her that he had the Time Piece and now she's aware they weren't lying.

As she headed up the conveyors, she looked across at the door that laid ahead to let her progress. Given the large gap in between her and the door, there was no way she was making that just by jumping. As she began to pace to help her think, her foot stepped on something hard. Looking down, her eyes widened in disbelief. The rental Hookshot badge? But how did it get up here?

She shrugged away the question. It did not matter now. What mattered was she now had the ability to get across. Attaching it to her hat, she grappled onto the broken hanging lights and swung her way across.

Getting through the door, she found herself in a maze of stacked boxes. However, thanks to the purple time rift she faced, she was prepared for what to do. She began climbing the stacks, making her way upward to get a bird's eye view of the area for her next exit.

As she progressed, she froze and stopped in her tracks. Cameras were set in a few spots, turned on. Seemed like whoever worked down here did not want any trespassers. Hat Kid knew what to do though. She carefully snuck past them, out of their line of sight.

As she continued jumping past, she stopped, hearing the Conductor's ranting muffled through the walls. He sounded a bit closer. She listened but was once again unable to fully make out what he said. What she did catch though was "blow it up," "bomb from Train Rush," and above all, "maybe I should save it in case _someone_ shows up. Eheheheheh~."

Hat Kid went pale. If she was piecing together what she was believing to be true, then the Conductor really has lost his mind. She needed to get to that Time Piece. FAST. She picked up her pace as she replaced her signature top hat with her sprint hat and began running. She got through the maze of boxes and now she needed to get past new obstacles.

The crows from the Murder on the Owl Express were sitting around chatting, a few Express Owls were marching around as security, and there were buttons to be pushed to activate the power to unlock the door at the very top of the large structures. She sighed but did not even think about backing down. A Time Piece, and by extension, time itself was at stake now. Nothing they were going to throw at her was going to slow or stop her.

After zipping past the crows and owls and pressing the buttons needed, she zipped through the door and down the hallway. She was surprised to find herself back...near the directors' offices. She guessed she took a long way through and down. Before, when both birds took her to their offices, they took the stairs through separate doors.

But now that she was here, she decided to look around a bit more. On the Conductor's side, the one trophy room she spotted left her curious. She opened the slightly ajar door and her eyes widened. There were HUNDREDS of the same golden trophies he earned today! A whole room just filled with the trophies alone.

Given all the wins, it was almost shocking to Hat Kid how not only the Conductor was so determined in winning, but also how DJ Grooves was so calm with the competition. Given all these trophies were losses to him, she would've thought he would be the short-tempered one that would do _anything_ to win.

Hat Kid gained a little bit more respect went to DJ Grooves just thinking that. But now she questioned a couple things about the Conductor as she exited and continued navigating. If he had all these wins, what more does he want? Why take a Time Piece? To travel back and win those trophies again just to rub it in DJ Grooves' face?

She almost assumed it was because of the loss of award 42, but she shook her head. No, that had to be a fake file in the movie. Given all the trophies he had, how could he have lost one? And if he did, why would that matter so much if he's got over 100 more?

She finally arrived at the elevator, guarded with only a couple strips of police tape. She brought her thoughts to one conclusion: that Time Piece wasn't going to stay in the Conductor's wings long. She was going to get it back. Hitting her fist on the down button, she entered the elevator and put on her signature top hat. It's showtime.

Once the elevator stopped, it showed only one large room. On both the left and right sides of the room were wooden bleachers and Express Owls filling it. In back center of the room was a stage blocked by an iron metal gate. On that stage? The Conductor himself.

Hat Kid stepped forward, umbrella armed and ready, as a spotlight shone on the Conductor. He smiled evilly at Hat Kid, wings folded behind his back.

"Oh ho ho hooo. Look who we've got here! I guess yer found my lil' basement, eh?"

Hat Kid got into a sort of battle stance as she glared up at the Conductor. "You know what I'm here for."

"Oh yes." He held up the Time Piece in his winged-hand with a smirk. "Well, lassie, this Time Piece is all mine. If yer want it…" He tucked it into the inside of his conductor coat's pocket and patted it. "Yer gonna have to take it from me cold, dead hands!"

Music kicked up and Hat Kid readied herself as the Conductor leaped up to the roof of the bleachers. He then lunged at her, jumping down. Hat Kid dodged and gave him a good whack with her umbrella. He was sturdy though as he got back up and jumped back to his stage.

He then whistled loudly, signaling other Express Owls standing by the weighted system to drop large spotlights onto Hat Kid. She looked up and quickly dodged each one. The Conductor was not done yet though. He jumped up onto a giant golden celebratory ball and shouted, "Here we goooo!" The ball came crashing down, sending a shockwave from the impact.

Hat Kid stumbled back but quickly got up once he lunged at her again. She hit him a couple times with her umbrella, getting to her feet. He jumped back to the stage, signaling more spotlights to fall. Hat Kid was not phased by any obstacle that came down. She dodged each one and prepared to hit the Conductor each time he lunged at her.

He eventually stomped his foot in anger and shouted, "I can't believe I let you be the star in _my_ movie!" He then pulled out a knife. He jumped down and lunged at her with it. She yelped as she dodged. She expected him to attack, but what she didn't expect was for the weapon to be actually lethal. She did not realize it until it cut right through her cape with ease as she dodged.

He chuckled darkly, seeing her reaction. "Watch out, lassie. This one ain't rubber!" He then began swiftly swinging the knife at her in all directions. She quickly jumped back and dodged as best as she could. Once he slowed, she lunged at him and whacked him hard with her umbrella.

He jumped back on the stage and growled. He whistled once more and large automated cars drove around her. They then aimed for her and sped up. She yelped, jumping out of the way and dodging as they rammed each other.

"Have a slice of life!" Two knives were lunged at her and she just barely dodged them both. A third knife, being held by the Conductor, was lunged at her and she hit the one that held it. The battle continued in the same manner for a short period of time. He would attack with knives, automated cars, or falling spotlights. But Hat Kid would dodge each one that came and attack him back. By the looks of his condition, however, he seemed stronger than the Mafia Boss.

"How could you do this to me, lassie?!" His voice broke a little on that statement. He sounded...hurt? But he was the one attacking her, refusing to give up the Time Piece. Before she could question further, everything went dark.

A spotlight shone on stage, but no Conductor was there. Instead, there was an Express Owl playing a gentle tune on the piano. Hat Kid kept her guard up. She did not trust this one bit. Then, a spotlight shone in the middle of the room. A table with two seats. One was empty and the other had the Conductor sitting down. What was he up to?

He looked directly to Hat Kid and let out a sigh, then motioned his wing to the empty seat. "Let's have a little heart-to-heart. Have a seat, lassie." Hat Kid still did not trust this...but she supposed it would be a good chance to catch her breath and maybe logically work things out with the Conductor.

Keeping her umbrella in hand, she carefully sat down. He turned to her, letting out another sigh as he folded his winged-hands together and looked down as he spoke. "Ever since yer arrived on this planet, these Time Pieces have been falling from the sky."

He looked up at her, giving a small shrug. "Now, I can understand if you feel they belong to you, I get it. But did yer know they can rewind time?" Hat Kid's eyes widened. The mysterious caller did not lie about that either. He _actually_ knows?! So much for keeping their power a secret.

"How do you-"

"I'm not dumb, lassie. I have ways of knowing."

* _FLASHBACK_ *

 _The Conductor scoffed at what the figure explained. "You expect me to believe these 'Time Pieces' control time itself?"_

" _Don't believe me? How about a demonstration?" They held up a Time Piece of their own and did the same action they did before they left that...traitor. They threw it up in their hands and let it fall to the floor. Time froze and rewound._

" _Don't believe me? How about a…" They stopped, recalling that was their previous statement as they were tossing thin air. The Conductor blinked and rubbed his eyes...or at least, where his eyes would be if they were visible._

" _WHADDYA WHAT?! How did-"_

" _Believe me now?" The Conductor looked to the two Time Pieces he kept in the glass case off to the side. All this time he had that kind of power and he never knew?_

" _...Why didn't the lass say anything?"_

" _Because she wanted it all for herself! That's why she never returned the ones you gave her before. That's why she was so willing to help with your movies. She never really cared about you winning or anything! All she wanted were those Time Pieces for own selfish needs."_

 _The Conductor, for once in his life, was silent. The figure smirked and stated, "I'll leave you to your future actions." They then disappeared. The Conductor looked down, thoughts swarming his mind. They mainly involved the questions how and why. How did he not notice this before? How was this really possible? Why hasn't he put them to proper use? ...Why did his lass have to hide this from him?_

 _He looked to the Hookshot badge on his desk and gingerly picked it up, exiting his office. He walked down the hallway, staring down at the badge in thought. Confusion filled his mind until anger boiled in his heart. She kept secrets. She lied to him. She betrayed him. With an angered yell, he threw the Hookshot high and far off into the depths of the basement of the studio._

 _Well, if the lassie was going to backstab him like that, then why shouldn't he do the same? He walked back to his office, anger and hurt filling his heart as an evil grin formed._

" _Time to put those props to use."_

* _FLASHBACK END_ *

Hat Kid noticed his winged-hands were trembling a little as if trying to suppress some extra anger. He took a deep breath and finally looked back up to her.

"I'm giving you a chance to help me, lass. With one Time Piece, I could reclaim the trophy that belongs to me!"

Hat Kid's eyes widened. "You mean…"

"That's right, the loss of award 42!" Hat Kid's immediate thought was, " _So the file WAS real. He did lose that trophy._ "

The Conductor continued, "I got 2nd place at the 42nd Annual Bird Movie Award! Me! Can you imagine? DJ Grooves managed to get the first place trophy. I just need one Time Piece just to fix this mistake. Can't you just spare one Time Piece?"

Hat Kid looked down, now thoughtful. She immediately wanted to answer no, but she already made an enemy in doing so. She was already in hot water with the Conductor and making it worse would not be nice. However, just as she argued with herself before, she couldn't let the Time Pieces be used in such a manner. Trying to fix "mistakes" of the past would only cause more mistakes and chaos. That lesson she learned the hard way.

As Hat Kid was thinking, the Conductor was silently waiting, quietly hoping she'll say yes. She'll prove himself and that stranger wrong. She wasn't selfish; not his lassie, right?

She finally looked up at him and took a deep breath. "C-Conductor, I...I'm sorry but...I can't."

His smile immediately disappeared. She _can't_? Or was it really because she _won't_? Maybe the stranger was right, after all. Anger filled his heart once more as he let out a small sad yet dark chuckle before she could explain.

"You're a... _greedy_ young lass, aren't yer?" He stood up, slamming his winged-hands down on the table and making Hat Kid flinch back in shock and mild fear. "I just need a single one and yer won't share? Well…" He patted his chest where the Time Piece sat in the coat's pocket as he spoke with a growl in his tone. "If you want this Time Piece back _soooo_ bad, come and get it!"

The spotlight went off and Hat Kid was grabbed from behind. She yelped, ready to whack who grabbed her. But their hold did not stay long as she felt something attach to her back, out of her reach. She looked over her shoulder, trying to see what it was. It felt a bit heavy, had a long antenna, and it was...beeping?

The spotlight shone back on stage and the Conductor stood there with an evil grin. "Remember this lil' bomb? This time it's attached to you instead of me lovely train. Eheheheheh."

Hat Kid went pale. So her assumption was correct. The bomb was for her. The automated voice rang out, giving Hat Kid Train Rush flashbacks.

" **1 minute and 20 seconds until self-destruct. Better hurry.** "

"Better hurry indeed, lassie! Time's ticking!" He hopped down and ran around her, taunting her. She huffed and held her umbrella firmly. He wasn't going to finish her off like this. Maybe if she weakened him, he could have some sense knocked back into him and he can defuse the bomb. She chased him and whacked him a couple times.

He jumped back onto the roof of the bleachers and threw a new weapon at her: sawblades. They drove through the wooden floor and right at Hat Kid in pairs of three. She jumped and quickly dodged them, then gave the Conductor a good hard whack with her umbrella.

He continued attacking hard though as he ran around. "Tick tock, tick tock! Yer gonna blow~!" Hat Kid continued trying to hit him. The beeping then got louder.

" **40 seconds until self-destruct. We're doomed.** "

Hat Kid was beginning to question if she should focus on getting the device off now instead of fighting the Conductor until she heard a familiar voice.

"Darling! Darling!" Hat Kid turned her head to the left side of the bleachers. Inside the crazed, brawling crowd of the Express Owls was a familiar bird movie director. "DJ Grooves!"

"Hang in there! I'll find a way to defuse the bomb!" Hat Kid nodded and continued focusing her attention on the Conductor. If he wasn't angry before, he sure was now since his arch rival was now present and cheering on Hat Kid.

Blinded by anger and hatred, he threw sawblades in all directions and lunged at Hat Kid a few more times than normal. Hat Kid continued hitting him with her umbrella, trying to push away her anxiety from the ticking of the bomb strapped to her back. It reminded her of the Train Rush mess she got into...but at the same time, the Conductor's movies in general.

Y'know, if the Conductor wasn't so smug and competitive, she would've been fine with whatever he threw at her. His movies weren't too bad. She especially loved the murder mystery one she got to star in.

" _Well, thanks for solving the murder, lassy. Not only did you reveal the murderer, you also revealed that the victim was never harmed."_

 _The Conductor then smirked and tousled her hair a bit, causing her to look up with mild surprise by the friendly gesture._

Hat Kid's movements slowed a bit. Hesitation started to appear in her attacks as she took a very short pause and then hit him. Why was she so hesitant? He clearly did not care for her before...didn't he?

" **10 seconds until self-destruct.** "

Hat Kid yelped, hearing this and immediately looking to DJ Grooves for help. To her surprise, he held out the largest pair of scissors she has ever seen. "Darling, quickly! The defuser's ready!"

" **9.** "

Hat Kid sprinted to the scissors.

" **8.** "

The Conductor lunged at her, about to grab her cape and stop her.

" **7.** "

His winged-fingers just barely missed the cape as Hat Kid jumped backward to the scissors.

" **6.** "

DJ Grooves quickly clipped the two blades of the scissors together, cutting the bomb's fuse. It made a powering down noise as the beeping stopped. Hat Kid exhaled with relief, not realizing she was shaking through that ordeal. DJ Grooves leaned down and stripped the bomb off her back safely. Now she was back in action.

The Conductor was furious now. "Alright, lassie...that's it! Time to bring out the big guns!" He whistled once more, having the Express Owls from the Big Parade movie appear. The only difference was instead of instruments on hand, they had knives. They began chasing her, waving the knives dangerously around. Fearful, she began running around the room and also attempting to dodge spotlights that were still raining down on her.

What she forgot to expect was the very attacker lunging at her. The Conductor leaped from the roof of the bleachers and landed on top of her, knife in hand. He grabbed the umbrella just as she was about to hit him with it and threw it to the side. Pinning her down with one of his winged-hands, he held up the knife high with the other.

Hat Kid's eyes were wide and filled with terror. The Conductor cackled evilly and shouted, "Say goodbye, lassie!" Hat Kid heard DJ Grooves cry out for her, but the owls that were chasing her had him pinned back, knives ready to attack if he stepped forward. The Conductor, staring down at Hat Kid, then plunged the knife down, ready to have it go right through her little rapid moving chest. Hat Kid let out a scream, throwing her arms up over her head as she braced for the pain to come.

That scream made the Conductor stop his action, just an inch above where her heart was. He was frozen, now staring down at the terrified child laying in front of it. It was like a switch went off in his mind. Her turquoise eyes were filled with tears as her breathing became rapid and her body was trembling. A memory came to mind.

 _"Now now, little lass. I'm not dying." He smiled a little to comfort her as he rubbed his winged-hand over the wound. It came right off his conductor's coat and was now staining his hand. He held it out to her. "It's just a bit of greasepaint is all. See? No harm done."_

 _She looked at the greasepaint wound and gently traced her finger into it. It stained her finger and yet, she looked up at him with a shaking smile. She looked relieved. Then to his surprise, she hugged him once more. It was like his grandchildren whenever they had a nightmare or a rough day at school._

 _The familiar feeling of a child's need for comfort warmed his heart as his grandparental instincts kicked in. He rubbed her back and through her toffee-colored hair as he smiled a little. "Okay okay, it's okay little lass."_

His crazed smile was gone. The Express Owls' cheers and shouts were becoming deaf to his ears. His hand on the knife began to tremble a little.

 _"Lass, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, okay? It takes a lot more than a simple gunshot to get rid of me." He said that with a smirk, but his expression told her he sincerely meant it. "Got that?" She gave him a confirming nod. His lass was always strong; he respected that._

"I…"

The knife began to redirect itself away from the trembling child's chest as the Conductor sat there, frozen.

"I...I-I can't…"

His voice broke as the knife clattered to the side, leaving him unarmed. Hat Kid dared to open one of her eyes to see what was happening. But before she could question what was happening, her umbrella was thrown right at the Conductor's head, knocking him back.

Hat Kid immediately sat up, grabbing it. DJ Grooves stood at the edge of the bleachers, holding back the owls with the knives, and in a throwing position. He must've thrown it at the Conductor.

"Finish him off, darling!"

Hat Kid nodded and approached the Conductor. He got up, rage reappearing, but now for DJ Grooves. He roughly shoved Hat Kid aside and picked up his knife.

"You no-good, spaced-out, picture-posing PECK NECK! Now yer gonna get what's been coming to you!" He lunged at DJ Grooves, ready to strike. But before he got too close, Hat Kid whacked the Conductor hard with her umbrella twice. He was knocked back to the iron gate in front of the stage and knocked unconscious.

Hat Kid panted, her defensive stance lowering as she dropped to her knees. Tears began to form at the edges of her eyes as her breathing got shaky once more. Just with those last two hits, it was finally over.

The Time Piece the Conductor held onto fell out of his pocket and Hat Kid gingerly picked it up, hugging it close. Her head lowered and she let out a small whimper. DJ Grooves climbed down from the bleachers as the owls left the scene, in shock and mild fear for Hat Kid's abilities.

DJ Grooves knelt down behind her and placed a flipper on her shoulder. "It's alright, darling...it's over now." Hat Kid sniffled, then turned around and hugged DJ Grooves. He did not hesitate to hug back as she began to sob.

"It's over, darling."

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And I thought Murder on the Owl Express was going to be longest? Welp, this was a close second. Took a few hours to make, but I felt motivated to do it, even if I should be asleep instead. Soon, we will move to the next world! Very excited for it, so expect updates soon! x)


	16. The Selfish One

" _Day 18. What is with people on this planet double-crossing me? Jeez, that is the last time I get involved in show business for a long time. I didn't even get paid for all the hard work I put into helping make all four of those films possible._ "

Hat Kid sighed and closed her diary book, then climbed out of her pillow fortress. It was the morning after last night's "dispute" with the Conductor. A dispute was putting it lightly though. She still felt sore from all the dodging and whacking.

After calming down with DJ Grooves' help, the two left the basement, leaving the unconscious Conductor there for the night. Hat Kid wanted nothing more but to go back to her ship and sleep, forgetting the night even happened. DJ Grooves was hesitant on the idea of Hat Kid going alone back to her ship, but she reassured him that she would be fine. Once the two said their goodnights, Hat Kid used the last Time Piece she got to get back up to her ship.

So, Hat Kid walked out of her room, walking to the kitchen. She kind of missed having Cookie around to help with cooking. But Hat Kid shrugged, telling herself that toast with jam and a glass of water was enough for now.

As she began preparing her breakfast, she thought over last night's events. No, they were not a dream. She really did fight the Conductor for the sake of a Time Piece and almost got blown up in the process. It still shocked her that the Conductor could be such a jerk. Sure, when they first met, he did not seem nice to her. But she thought she was finally getting along with him as they did the movies.

The toast popped out of the toaster and she began applying the grape jam she had kept in the fridge, which was probably the only normal edible thing in there. There was a bowl of spaghetti in the fridge that had...blue noodles and eyeballs? There was also a burger with dark blue buns, light blue sesame seeds, and purple tentacles as well as some sort of sliced watermelon drink. Hat Kid was unsure how she was capable of making this food, but even though they did not seem edible, they seemed too insanely made to be tossed away.

Just as she finished her toast, an alarm rang out. " **Warning. Warning. Time Rift detected.** " Hat Kid quietly exited the kitchen and walked over to the main computer. "Boop." Turning off the alarm, she checked for the time rift's location.

It was a blue rift. That made Hat Kid smile, knowing that this Time Piece won't be hard to track down in the rift. What made her smile disappear, however, was the location. It was back at Dead Bird Studio. Thankfully, it was on DJ Grooves' side of the studio.

Hat Kid sighed. If she didn't fix the rift, it could worsen to a purple rift or rip apart time itself. But at the same time, she wasn't ready to visit the studio and run into the Conductor. She shook her head though, shaking away the hesitation. If the Conductor wants to harm her again, she at least knows she can beat him. Besides, she can easily evade him being on DJ Grooves' side of the studio.

With a confirmed nod on her decision, she propped her umbrella on her shoulder, went to the hatch, and jumped down to the Dead Bird Studio lot.

After opening her umbrella, offering a safe landing, she entered through the front doors. Surprisingly, it did not seem busy today as it normally was. A few Express Owls and Moon Penguins were sitting in the lobby as usual, but they seemed quiet. Not even the Moon Penguins were snapping their flippers to look cool.

Hat Kid quietly walked up to the reception desk. He quietly looked down at her and said, "Sorry, kid. No movie production today. With the Annual Bird Movie Awards finished this year, the directors take a break and prepare ideas for next year's ceremony."

That explains why it was quiet. "Well, I came just to grab something I left."

"Fine. Just don't knock anything over or mess with the power." Hat Kid nodded and entered through DJ Grooves' studio doors, which were now open. Deep in the back of the studio, the cityscape set should be the Time Rift's location. In order to get there, however, she would need to pass through the Conductor's side as well. The studio may be separated by the two birds, but the building was made to be connected with both parts. She couldn't get there through DJ Grooves' set alone.

As she quietly went through the Conductor's side, keeping an eye out for the movie director himself, she stopped when she heard talking. Actually, it sounded more like yelling. Hat Kid looked to the staircase where it came from and sighed. Curse her curiosity.

She quietly peeked out of the staircase door as the yelling became more audible and legible. She tiptoed to the Conductor's office door, where the yelling was emitting from.

"And what makes you think I'm going to keep quiet about last night's events?"

Hat Kid's eyes widened. That was DJ Grooves...and he sounded _really_ mad.

"You know that if you knew the truth about these props, yer would've done the same, ya peck neck!" That's the Conductor, alright. Sounded like his normal level of angry.

"Attack a _child_? My diva? Only a violent bird-look-alike like you could ever _think_ about laying a wing on her head!"

"Bird...look-alike…?" A gasp was heard. "How dare yer! And I had the right to attack her! She lied to us! Don't ye care about that?"

"It may be true she kept those props a secret and I could've made more use out of them than you ever could, but maybe she had a good reason, darling."

Hat Kid looked down. She really would have explained the Time Pieces and how dangerous they could be if this sort of scenario didn't happen.

"Then maybe she should've said something before I had her even be a part of _my_ movies!"

"I bet if it wasn't for her helping you as well, I would've won that trophy instead of you. And that would've been better than how it turned out now. The ceremony was rigged."

"Rigged? Ha! Yer only just jealous you've only won ONE first place trophy in yer life!"

"Well, at least I earned it. I didn't become a monster to do it." His tone went dark saying that. Then a huff was heard as DJ Grooves slammed the door open and stormed off. Hat Kid went behind two prop boxes and watched him go. She made a mental note to herself to never make DJ Grooves angry.

The Conductor stomped out of his office and stamped his foot while shouting at him, "Hey! Get back here and say that to my face, ye peck neck!" DJ Grooves kept walking, not paying any more mind to the Conductor.

The Conductor growled, stomped back into his office, slammed the door hard enough to make his name plaque fall off the door. Hat Kid winced at the strength of the door slam. Now she was wondering if he actually held back during their fight. Then again, there was the moment in the end…

 _Her eyes were shut as she braced for the knife to pierce her chest. Her life was practically flashing before her shut eyes as she saw her old home, her journey, and finally what she was now about to see last._

 _But as she kept bracing for the pain, nothing came. She then heard a shaky broken voice. That couldn't be the Conductor...could it?_

" _I-I...I can't…" She heard something metal hit the floor next to her and she dared to open her eyes._

Then DJ Grooves was the one that threw the umbrella and caught the Conductor off-guard. Did...the Conductor really stop and hesitate?

She hummed in thought, then shook her head. She had no time to think about it. The ship and her diary were for her reflections. Right now, she had to focus on getting that Time Rift repaired before it worsened or someone notices it's there.

She headed back to the stairs, just as the Conductor's door opened. He looked down at the plaque that fell off his door and sighed, kneeling down to pick it up. But he froze when he saw a familiar figure dressed in purple and yellow out the corner of his eyes. He looked up and just barely caught Hat Kid going through the door and up the stairs.

"...Lassie?" What was she doing in the studio now? Movies are over and after last night, he figured she would be home...wherever she stayed. Now curious as to why she was here, the Conductor followed her.

Hat Kid got back on the path to DJ Grooves' city landscape set at the far back of the set. The roof was shut above the set, making Hat Kid miss the starry sky that really set the scene. The streets were still littered with confetti after the Big Parade film. But she wasn't here to walk down the familiar roads and sightsee.

Up on a tarp just one story above her, she spotted the blue Time Rift. She hopped up with ease and placed her hand on it to enter.

Meanwhile, the Conductor cringed just stepping into the movie set. Everything was so flashy and modern. It was certainly outside his comfort zone of train tracks and western atmosphere. Why would Hat Kid come here? To help that peck-necked DJ Grooves? He scowled at the very thought. The sooner he found her, the better.

He then stopped, seeing Hat Kid touch a strange swirling orb on top of a tarp. Then, in a blink of an eye, everything seemed to rewind and flash. The Conductor was back to his scowl and he blinked in shock. What just happened?

Looking up where the rift was, he noticed Hat Kid was gone. Where did she go? Did it have something to do with that strange orb? He spotted a ladder on the side of the building and climbed up, then carefully trod on the tarp. He approached the rift and looked it over.

" _Whatever this is, maybe I can use it for me next movie. Not sure what fer, but better to have it instead of DJ Grooves._ " With a greedy smile, he reached out and tried to grab it with his winged-hands.

His hands seemed to have froze as time around him froze as well. He looked around, cautious and questionable. Then he screamed when a bright flash of light blinded him and he found himself sucked into the rift.

The Conductor sat up after the flash, a bit dazed. He rubbed his seemingly non-existent eyes and softly yet slowly gasped at what he saw.

All around him was a blue, underwater-like atmosphere with scattered white platforms. He saw bubbles come out of his mouth and he almost instinctively held his breath, believing he was underwater. But the gasp he made convinced him the "air" was breathable. But questions swam through his mind rapidly.

" _Where the peck am I? What is this place? Does the lass know about this? Am I actually dead?_ " The Conductor was, in short, freaking out by the scenario he found himself in. His rapid thought process halted, however, when he spotted Hat Kid, hopping through the different platforms.

He opened his mouth to shout for her but actually hesitated. But why would he? Was it because of last night? Does he actually believe she would even pay any mind to him after their fight? ...After he tried to kill her?

His blood ran cold at the thought, but just by watching her, he knew she must know her way around this strange realm. He took a deep breath and called her out.

"LASSIE!" Hat Kid froze. No, she couldn't have heard _him_. How would he even be here? It's probably just her mind playing tricks. But she turned around to reassure her thoughts. Her eyes widened and she froze when she realized her mind was right.

She rubbed her eyes to make sure it was true, and it was. The Conductor was here. _Actually_ here. How?

She almost turned back around to leave him. Her reason behind possibly doing so was because either she was denying that he was even real or she was afraid of confronting him again. For a solid minute, she didn't do anything. She just stood there and stared at him in silent shock.

" _I clearly got her attention, so why isn't she moving?_ " The Conductor huffed. " _You want something done right, yer do it yerself._ " The nearby platforms in front of him were at least close and even enough to cross. He began running and making his way to her.

Hat Kid's eyes widened. He's coming for her. Should she run? Stand her ground and fight again? She honestly didn't want to do either option. If her last thought process was right on his hesitation, surely there's still good in him, right? Keeping her umbrella on hand, she watched as the Conductor approached her, carefully getting through a slowly spinning platform.

The fight the Conductor and Hat Kid had made it clear enough for both of them how nimble and capable they were of getting through obstacles. Once he finally made it across, panting a little, he walked up to Hat Kid. He noticed the umbrella in her hand and kept a bit of a safe distance between them.

"Lassie, I want an explanation as to what this place is and I want it now!"

"But, how are you here? _Why_ are you here?"

"I could ask you the same questions, but yer still gonna have to answer _mine_!"

Hat Kid paused to look around, then turned to the Conductor. "Not here. Let's get you back first." She looked up to where she assumed the Time Piece was and pointed. "If we get up there, there should be an exit."

She headed forward and the Conductor reluctantly followed. They reached a platform where a couple buttons needed to be pushed to advance. She looked to the Conductor and said, "Wait here."

Before he argued or questioned, she jumped off to other platforms to get the other button. She scampered up tall walls, used the Hookshot badge she held onto to get across unreachable gaps, and jumped really far over the ones she could reach.

The Conductor watched, silently impressed. He knew the kid was agile, especially after seeing her in action on Train Rush, but this was a whole new level of nimble. Not to mention that despite the strange area she was in, she seemed calm, collected, and confident.

Once the other button was pushed, one platform that will lead them upward came a bit closer. The gap still seemed far. Hat Kid hopped down to the Conductor's side. She then made a running start, leaped, did a bit of a boost in mid-air, and landed.

" _How in the flying feathers am I going to make it across that?!_ " Hat Kid motioned him to follow and he looked down, seeing the blue abyss below them. He knew he could jump far, but this was stretching his limits.

But he decided to try. He's not going to let her see him scared or hesitant. He took a running start and jumped. Unfortunately, he only made it three-fourths of the way. Hat Kid's eyes widened when the Conductor tried flapping his wings in an attempt to make it the rest of the way, but it was no avail.

Before he could scream, Hat Kid sent down a grappling hook at him and quickly hooked the umbrella handle on the nearby lamppost. The Conductor grabbed the chain and latched onto it. Catching his breath, he climbed his way back up and made it onto the platform.

"...Th-..thanks lass."

"Yeah. No problem…" She propped the umbrella back on her shoulder and headed forward without another word. The Conductor quietly followed as they reached another platform for buttons.

Hat Kid was already off getting the buttons as the Conductor watched, his thoughts now going through his mind.

She could've just let him fall. After last night, why choose to help him? Why even save him? He probably wouldn't have done the same.

" _Only a violent bird-look-alike like you could ever think about laying a wing on her head!_ " He growled to himself for recalling DJ Grooves' words. How dare he claimed he didn't even look like a bird. He was an owl! Just...a different looking one. And he still bets that if DJ Grooves knew about the power of the Time Pieces, he would've done the same.

" _Well, at least I earned it. I didn't become a monster to do it._ "

The Conductor froze. "Monster" echoed in his mind. What he did last night...was that really monstrous? The lass wasn't going to let him keep the Time Piece. ...Was the bomb really necessary? Did he really have to hurt her?

Before he could continue down the train of thought, Hat Kid landed in front of him. "Let's go. We're close now." The Conductor quietly nodded and followed her up.

Meanwhile, Hat Kid hated to admit it...but she was a bit concerned with the Conductor. After she told him to follow her, he actually listened. He's not ranting, yelling, commanding, or trying to be in charge like he normally was. Something felt off about him. Did it have to do with finding this place? Last night?

The Time Piece was straight ahead and Hat Kid smiled a little. At least they could get out of here now. The Conductor looked over and his eyes widened. How did she know one was here?

Hat Kid held it, then grabbed the Conductor's winged-hand. Just before he could protest, there was another blinding flash of light. Then the two found each other back on the tarp in DJ Grooves' city landscape set. The rift was closed and the Time Piece was in hand.

The Conductor looked around with great relief. Never before has he been so happy to see a familiar setting that wasn't his own set.

"Time Rift." The Conductor looked to her questionably. She continued, "What we were just in was a Time Rift."

She held the Time Piece close, but visible to the Conductor. "When these things get smashed or broken, they could either alter time for the one who broke it or create these rifts when broken on their own. If a rift appears, I have to enter it and get the Time Piece. If I don't, then time would rip apart itself."

That's a large responsibility for a child. The Conductor was quietly shocked a girl her age had to handle such a large task like that. Hat Kid put the Time Piece in her pocket and looked up at him with a serious expression.

"That's why I never explained how they worked. They could be dangerous in the wrong hands or if they were misused. Like...if you went back to get that trophy, Dead Bird Studio would've gone to ruin for all you know. Or DJ Grooves would've gotten the _rest_ of the trophies."

The Conductor's eyes widen a bit. He never thought those were possibilities. Hat Kid then turned away. "I wouldn't expect you to understand though." Without another word, she took off the Hookshot badge and handed it to him. Then, she jumped down and ran off.

"L-lass, wai-..." But she was gone before he could finish calling out for her.

 _She gave him a dark glare and threw the badge at him. He flinched, but caught it and looked down at it. Then looking back up, he finally noticed the injured arm. "Lass...did-" But before he could question, Hat Kid stormed out._

" _I didn't become a monster to do it._ "

Monster.

That one word finally weighed down on the Conductor, realizing the pain and trouble he actually caused. All he did was for _himself_. HE was the selfish one. ...He really was the monster.

With those thoughts swarming his mind, he fell to his knees and stared at the badge. A couple tears fell upon it as his head lowered.

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Well, I must be a huge jerk by doing this. Instead of giving you Subcon Forest, I gave you angst. I can at least promise you guys that next chapter really will be Subcon Forest, where we meet our shadow boy. And I won't keep the Conductor sad for long; Hat Kid will come through for him in the end.


	17. Contractual Obligations

Hat Kid sighed as she put the Time Piece in the safe and locked it. She glanced to the main computer, which showed she now had 18 Time Pieces. Almost halfway, but still a lot of Time Pieces to go.

She sighed and climbed into her cushioned pilot's chair. She stared out the large window and looked down at the planet below. She spotted Dead Bird Studio's area below as the planet rotated around.

Maybe she was too harsh on the Conductor. Then again, he did attach a bomb to her back and tried to stab her with an actual knife. But before all that, he didn't seem as cruel. He always tousled her hair and gave her a warm smile that she rarely ever sees him give anyone else. He even spoke gently to her when she thought he was shot.

Hat Kid moaned, putting her head in her hands. Why were people so complicated? What good does double-crossing do? It just lets both parties get hurt in the end.

She then looked back up and stared down at the planet, wondering what to do now. Mustache Girl is probably still looking for more Time Pieces. Hat Kid's searched as much as she could around Mafia Town and she's certain Dead Bird Studio is clean of them. But where could she look next?

As if the planet answered her question, its slow rotation showed a new area. It was dark purple and filled with trees. Kinda looked like a dark purple forest. Not only was the area close to her favorite color, but it also looked intriguing for Hat Kid. She hummed in thought as she walked up to the hatch and opened it.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." She jumped down.

Using her umbrella to land safely, she looked around with wonderous and curious eyes. A mysterious spooky forest. There were a few literal fire walls in certain areas she could see, but there was a path straight ahead. There were trees that mostly seemed dead aside some that had some pretty red leaves.

Behind her was a VERY large hollowed-out tree that seemed to stretch to the dark purple cloudy sky. Oddly, it had a couple furniture pieces inside, such as a recliner and a bookshelf filled with books she has never read. Now she wondered who lived there.

A couple little shadow-like creatures stood around and looked straight at Hat Kid. They seemed timid and curious. Hat Kid was also surprised to find they were practically her height. Most of the people she met, aside Mustache Girl, were basically taller than her. They had one golden eye that seemed to be their facial feature alone and wore cloaks that were the same color of their shadow-y skin.

She walked up to one of them and smiled warmly. The Subconite just looked to the side, then back up to her. "Found your way here already? That's a shame."

She tilted her head, questioning why he would say that. She then spotted one shadow creature who was running down the path that was ahead of her. Curious, she followed.

He looked back and picked up speed. She called out, "Wait! I just want to know what this place is!" To her luck, he stopped. If he had a smile, he would show one just based on his current expression.

Hat Kid smiled as well as she approached. But then she yelped when a large tarp swept her off her feet and tied her 10 feet off the ground. The shadow creature chuckled and ran off. "The boss is gonna love this."

Hat Kid kept trying to get her footing as she struggled to reach out of the large tarp and untie herself, but it was no use. With no ground beneath her feet, she could barely sit up straight. Frustrated, she started trying to tear the tarp open with her umbrella as she whacked it all around.

Then, a flock of crows cawed and flew right past the tarp. Hat Kid's eyes widened. She then heard large stomps. By the sound of it, something was coming. Something big. She began beating the tarp faster and harder, quietly begging for a ripping sound.

She then saw the tarp starting to tear and she used her own hands to tear it open more. Once it opened up, she yelped as she fell back to the ground. Sitting up and looking at the ground, she saw it turned light purple. Her surroundings seemed dark. She looked up and around and her eyes widened.

The area seemed to have shadows surrounding her. The sky went light purple, fading to a black abyss. She stood on her feet and looked around, nervous and looking for a sort of exit back to the forest setting. She then froze when she felt a presence behind her.

Turning around, she yelped and fell onto her back at the creature that stood before her. A _very_ tall shadow hovered before her. He had to be about 5 Hat Kids tall. He had a large golden grin with a couple fangs showing as well as golden eyes that stared down at her. He had slim arms, a tail instead of feet, and what seems to be...hair on his neck. Hat Kid wasn't sure. It looked like hair...and surprisingly fluffy. But what was frightening her the most was the large grin he had.

"AHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA! FOOOOOOOOOOOOL! You blew it! You've totally screwed yourself! Nobody enters my home and leaves in one piece!"

Hat Kid began to tremble. He spoke in a loud echoing voice as he eagerly hovered over her. But just as she was about to ask if maybe he could let her leave on her own, he then put his hand under his mouth and looked up in thought, keeping his sinister grin showing, as he said, "Tell you what though! Hang on a minute! You get to live!"

Hat Kid blinked. That almost sounded too good to be true. But she slowly stood back up on her feet and looked up to him, still trembling.

"That's right! Aren't you lucky? Normally I'd eat your soul and toss your body, but you're a lucky one!" Hat Kid shuddered at the thought of him eating her soul and tossing her limp body away. But how would he be able to get her soul? What would her soul look like?

The shadow continued, "You won the lottery, because I just happen to be missing a braindead servant." Hat Kid blinked. " _Servant?! ...Wait, braindead?_ " She seemed a bit offended by that. She's not dumb.

"That's right! The old one got himself killed, his head popped off, and now I need a new towel boy!" Hat Kid jolted when a flash of purple lightning shot in front of her. What appeared and levitated in front of her was a piece of paper and a quill pen.

"So tell you what, I've got a piece of paper here. Don't worry about the details! I just need you sign right here at the bottom." And he pointed to the bottom part of the paper, where there was a dotted line next to the word "signed"...much like a contract.

Hat Kid needed to see what she was signing her name for. Looking over the paper, she saw it really was a contract. It clearly stated that as a title in big bold letters at the top of the paper. Below it was the title: "Clean Out the Subcon Well." Reading it down, she saw the terms were put as a sort of checklist.

She would need to first "Find Subcon Village." That should be simple enough. Next, "Murder the Spirits"?! There was no way she would want to do that! What if they were innocent spirits? She was against the mush and jar party idea before and all her fighting was for self defense. The final term was as the title stated.

There were a couple pictures attached to it as well. One showed a sort of bonfire with a levitating painting in the background. And the other showed her the biggest well she has ever seen in her life. It at least looked enormous to her.

The following parts of the forest that would be open to her were Subcon Village and the Swamp. And finally, "I'll be keeping the following hostage: YOUR SOUL...but keep anything you find along the way!"

Wait. Her own soul?! What would she be without it? Wouldn't she be dead? No way, Jose! She was not signing up for this!

She decided to be brave and look up at the shadow. She shook her head no, silently telling him she was not going to sign it. His grin seemed to have twitched as he said, "C'mon now. Don't make this difficult! You don't really have a say in this. Sign the paper."

She crossed her arms and this time spoke. "No!"

Now his eye twitched. His grin seemed to have faltered a bit, showing great irritation. His voice then became a bit deeper and with a small growl to it. "I don't think I made this _clear_ enough: YOUR OPINION. DOESN'T. MATTER TO ME! Put your name on the contract or I'll make your DEAD HOLLOWED BODY sign it for you!"

Now Hat Kid was intimidated. Her eyes widen with fear. She had a dark feeling that if she didn't do it, he'll take her soul anyway and be guaranteed dead. With a trembling hand, she took the quill pen in hand and took a deep breath. She signed along the dotted line.

The shadow's smile widened as he stamped it with a purple wax seal. Its indentation looked like his face. How subtle. He then grabbed the contract and rolled it up. With a snap of his fingers, it then vanished.

"HAHAHAHAHAAAAHAHAHAAAA! That seals the deal! We're in business! Let me just grab this real quick."

Before Hat Kid questioned what he meant, she let out a shrill scream as about 5 bolts of purple lightning shot through her body. She dropped to her elbows and knees, beginning to curl up and whimper as she felt the lightning dig into her insides. It was like it was trying to pull something out of her.

When the pain was over, she looked up weakly. Her eyes widened at the sight. It was like a dreary ghost form of her. The shadow then grabbed it and clutched it in his hands with an evil smile. "Whoops! Guess this soul belongs to me now."

So that was her soul. ...Maybe that's why she now feels so exceedingly empty. The pain numbed away as she slowly sat up, trembling.

The shadow continued, "Don't worry, though! If you finish your chores quickly, you'll have your soul back real soon. And don't you dare forget about our little contract! I've put it in your hat so that it'll never leave your sight." He then phased into the ground and vanished. The dark setting around her disappeared as she was now kneeling on the path she was on before.

She looked down at her trembling hands and slowly stood back up. So this was what it's like to have no soul? Empty? Numb? She saw a bench behind her and she sat down, collecting her thoughts.

So to sum up all that just happened, she wandered into a forest where a large shadow jerk took her soul and is forcing her to be his servant to get it back. She was meant to look for Time Pieces, not be this guy's new towel boy.

But she sighed. There was no way out of it now. She was officially contractually obligated to work for him until she got her soul back. He couldn't keep her as a servant forever anyway, right? She took off her hat and looked into it. He wasn't kidding. The rolled up contract was inside.

The temptation to throw it away was large, but she knew if she did that, she wouldn't know if she did what she needed to do right. Thus, the shadow gets to keep her soul. She sighed and looked it over. First on her terms was to find the Subcon Village.

She tucked the contract away in her hat and stood up, looking down the path. She headed forward, believing the village would be just down the path.

Just up ahead were some strange snake-like ghost creatures with animal masks and they were all staring at a couple of those shadow-like creatures she spotted at the beginning. The two shadow creatures were talking to each other while eyeing a sort of bone cage with a green-eyed creature sitting on top of it. Whatever it was, it seemed to be keeping the bone cage together. Inside the cage was a ball of yarn Hat Kid hasn't seen yet.

Earlier, she made her sprint, ice, and brewing hats from all the yarn she found along her path. But this ball was new. Maybe she could make something new out of it. She looked to the two shadow creatures and approached.

"Maybe we should leave it be?"

"What if the boss wants it gone though?"

"Excuse me." Both shadow creatures stopped and looked to her. They seemed nervous at first, but they looked at each other and nodded.

"Hey kid. I see you got past our boss, Snatcher." Snatcher. That must've been the shadow creature's name. ...Seems fitting since he snatched her soul. She nodded as the two snickered.

"Well, maybe you can help us out a little bit."

"I would but...I need to find Subcon Village."

"We can show you the way there if you help us." Hat Kid sighed. Everyone seems to be asking for something from her today. But she replied, "Alright."

One of them pointed to a large purple cherry close by the statue. "See that cherry there?"

"Yeah?"

"That thing seems to have an eye on something. Maybe if you could get rid of the cherry, you can throw it off its game and get rid of it."

"Okay…" Hat Kid wasn't sure how to do it, but she picked up the abnormally large purple cherry. She then moved behind a large log and set it down. When she checked on the creature that made the bone cage, it was still looking in the direction of the very cherry she hid.

Hat Kid sighed and picked it back up. She went to the shadow creatures while asking, "How am I supposed to get rid of-" She then stopped and gasped when one of those snake-like, mask wearing creatures went inside the cherry. It turned bright red and started...flashing and beeping?

She stared down at it as the two shadow creatures looked at each other and took cover. When the beeping got faster, Hat Kid realized what the cherry turned into. A bomb! She yelped and tossed it away, having it explode. Luckily it was a small explosion, so it was not close enough to harm her.

The same snake creature that went inside the cherry then floated back to its spot, completely unharmed. Hat Kid blinked in complete confusion. She was trying to process the logic of what just happened.

"Nice work, kid! You figured it out!" Hat Kid then looked at the bone creature, which was now staring at another purple cherry. Indeed, Hat Kid did figure it out. With a small smirk, she picked up the cherry and went to another snake creature. It did the same thing as the other did. Once it was inside the cherry and the cherry started ticking, Hat Kid tossed it away to have it explode.

Now that both cherries were gone, the bone creature then vanished, now seeing it had no reason to stay with nothing to watch over and guard its treasure. Hat Kid picked up the green and black yarn with a smile of accomplishment.

"Not bad, newbie." The two shadows came out from behind the large log they took cover behind and went up to her.

"So, I got rid of the creature. Can you now take me to Subcon Village?"

"Sure, kid. It's just down this path. C'mon." The two walked forward with Hat Kid following behind. Since they had a bit of a walk to go through, Hat Kid decided to get a few questions answered and get to know about the place.

"So, what exactly were those snake things?"

"They're called Dwellers. They're kinda like us...only they're more like lost spirits and don't express a whole lot of emotion," one of them answered. The other one added, "They're also really hard to talk to."

"And those cherries?"

"Cherry bombs. We have those lying around the forest a bit to uh...help with any obstacles." The one that answered seemed to look to the side, as if he was avoiding a topic that would've specified what he meant by that answer. "The Dwellers help activate them from the inside."

"Oh...I see. And...the Snatcher is that shadow guy that makes people sign contracts?"

"Yep. That's our boss. He rules all of Subcon Forest and punishes those who trespass." The two creatures seemed to show a gleeful expression just by mentioning him. Well, if they are his minions, it would make sense that they praise their leader.

"Anyways, we're here. Welcome to Subcon Village, newbie." Hat Kid looked up and looked around with curiosity and interest. A large opening with little tree trunk houses was the scene laid out for her along with some roaming Dwellers and a few scattered cherry bombs. In front of her was also a river...that seemed to be dried out. Huh. And far ahead, she could see some sort of bonfire with dancing foxes made of fire? She would have to get closer to know for certain.

"Cozy." She smiled a bit and nodded her head. For a dreary forest, this seemed like a somewhat cozy setting for the little shadow guys.

"Thanks, kid. Well, we know you got work to do, so we'll leave you to it." They wave and went into the village, greeting a couple shadow-creature citizens there. Given the name of the village, Hat Kid decided to call the little guys Subconites. Just as Mafia Town had Mafiosos, Subcon Village has Subconites.

Well, that was a check off her contract. When she took off her hat to check it off herself, she blinked with mild surprise, seeing that it was already checked off for her. Must be part of the contract's enchantment or something.

Now next on her list was...murder the spirits. Despite not having a soul, she still seemed hesitant to do such an action. She may not have a soul, but she does have common sense. Upsetting powerful spirits means trouble for her. The Snatcher certainly proved that to her.

Well, she didn't have to do it right away. She could look around the village first. Maybe talk to a few Subconites. With a firm nod, she walked into the village and looked around. She still found it strange that the river was dried up. Maybe Snatcher will ask her to fix that...however she can.

Also, oddly enough, there were a few large ice cubes containing a couple treasures inside. Two of them included more yarn for her to use and the other held a painting. Hat Kid looked them over, then her eyes met a cherry bomb. She then got an idea and it might just be crazy enough to work.

She picked up the cherry, went over to a Dweller to have it go inside and activate it, then threw it right at the ice cube with the yarn inside. Just as she thought it would, the ice shattered and the yarn laid out before her. With an accomplished smile, she picked it up and pocketed it. Then, she proceeded to do the same to the other two ice cubes.

Meanwhile, a few Subconites were watching, curious and intrigued. She was blowing up the wicked one's ice. They were meaning to do so for quite a bit of time, but they had a hard time reaching the places Hat Kid easily reached.

"Pretty handy, isn't she," asked the one Subconite from the path in the forest.

"The boss sure picked a good one this time."

"How long do you think she'll last?"

"I'd say up until the well."

"No way. I say up until the wicked one's manor. No one ever comes out of there alive." The Subconites shuddered at the thought of _her_. Not even her name can be spoken.

Once Hat Kid blew up the ice cube with the painting, she looked it over with a perplexed expression. It looked inverted, like she could just reach in it. It made her head hurt just looking at it. Maybe she'll find some use for it a bit later.

Now, she needed to check out that bonfire with those fire fox spirits. Just as she was heading down the way, she felt a dark presence behind her.

"WHHHYYYY HELLO THERE~!" Hat Kid yelped as she turned around and fell onto her back. Sure enough, the Snatcher was hovering right behind her. He cackled a bit, seeing her reaction.

"You didn't forget about me, did ya?! Don't tell me you forgot about me!" Hat Kid quickly stood back up and brushed herself off as a couple leaves stuck to her purple shirt.

" _Hard to forget someone like you._ " But instead of speaking her thoughts, she replied, "N-no…"

"What's up? You working on any contractual obligations lately? You better be." He then hovered dangerously close to her little form. "Remember our little deal?"

Hat Kid timidly nodded, going back a step from the sudden close-up she was getting from him. Up close, she could really see the golden glint in his eyes and mouth and the fluffy look of the hair that was around his neck.

He smirked and then picked her up by her cape, causing her to yelp in mild fear and surprise. Thankfully, he only did so just to turn her around and have her face the direction of the fire fox spirits.

He pointed to them, keeping to Hat Kid's level, as he said, "Check it out. Those incredibly annoying Fire Spirits are sitting right there, in the middle of my village. Their little dance is creating these _incredibly_ annoying barriers that stop me from getting to parts of my forest."

Hat Kid did notice those on the way to the village. It was like a sort of magical fire wall that seemed to grow the closer she got to it. It surprisingly didn't burn her though when she touched the sort of barrier. It felt warm, but solid.

"It's almost like they're trying to put an end to me…" His dark grin seemed to widen as his tone went dark. "How adorable."

He then stood back up straight...or as straight as he seemed, having Hat Kid look back up to him. "Dispose of them! I don't care how you do it, as long as they suffer for entering my domain. Heheheheheheheh. Anyways, back to work, trooper! This isn't a vacation and I'm getting impatient!" He then phased into the ground and vanished.

Hat Kid looked back to the spirits. He told her to dispose of her in any way possible. Maybe she could convince them to leave and do this humanly. She walked up to one of the spirits and asked, "Excuse me?"

The one fire spirit, still dancing, turned to Hat Kid and said the strangest yet darkest thing she has possibly heard: "We want to die~! Yayyyyyy~!" Hat Kid couldn't help but blink in confusion and mild shock.

The second fire spirit spoke up and said, "We want to burn bright and then burn out~! Become a cloud of smooooke~!"

The third fire spirit then said, "Our bonfire needs more fuel...only the finest paintings will do~! Can you help us~?"

So, if Hat Kid could comprehend what they're asking, they want to die by burning bright then fizzling out. Those paintings she spotted earlier; Hat Kid guessed they could come in use now. Speaking of, she gasped when she saw one frame of a painting sucking up a Mafioso into it. He screamed as he became part of the painting.

This whole scenario seemed to have turned morbid for her. She will be asked to kill the spirits, who are _asking_ to die, by throwing paintings that contain people trapped in them into the large bonfire. On any normal occasion, she would just wave goodbye to the place and just go back to her ship. This was too much.

But without a soul, she oddly seemed...okay with it? It still felt wrong in a way; Hat Kid could not deny that. But instead of being overwhelmed by it, she seemed neutral. Curse the extra emptiness added into her somehow still beating heart.

If she didn't get rid of the spirits, they would stay and keep the barriers up around the forest. The Snatcher would be mighty upset about that to say the least. And her soul may as well be in his stomach at that point. ...Does he even have a stomach? He's a shadow...ghost...being. Maybe he absorbs it?

Hat Kid shook her head. She had no time to dwell on such thoughts. If it's paintings they want to burn bright, it's paintings they'll get. Besides, maybe the people that were trapped in the paintings would be set free when their prison burns. Not necessarily the people themselves, but their spirits or souls.

Keeping that in mind, Hat Kid picked up the painting with the Mafioso inside and tossed it into the fire. It burnt to ash and the fire seemed to grow. The first fire spirit replied, "More~! More~!"

Hat Kid looked around and spotted one painting sitting on top of one of the taller tree trunks. She climbed up and grabbed it, which had a sort of ninja cat in it. "You'll come with me," she said with a tiny smile as she went to the fire and tossed it in. The fire spirits begged for more as the fire grew even taller.

The Subconites seemed to look at each other nervously. One part of the forest is already burning due to those fire spirits. Is this really helping in getting rid of them? If anything went wrong though, they were sure Snatcher would step in if needed.

Hat Kid spotted another one on a wooden platform circling one tree trunk home. She climbed up and picked up the painting, her smile fading. In it was an Express Owl. It reminded her of her time back in Dead Bird Studio.

...Maybe she should've made amends with the Conductor before coming here. He was a smug jerk, yeah. But he really had to be a little good, right? If he was really all bad, why did he comfort her when he got "shot"? Why did he hesitate when they fought?

Not to mention DJ Grooves. He was such a nice penguin from the start. He helped her get out of debt, become a legal bird, then become a diva, got her to be in a parade despite its danger unintentionally set, and saved her from blowing to bits at the Conductor's fight.

With a sigh, she hopped down and tossed the painting into the fire, which grew really tall now. She made a mental note to herself think about visiting the studio again...just to not only look for any other missing Time Pieces in case she couldn't find any here, but also to visit a couple people.

She then grabbed the last painting at the entrance of the village, which had the Badge Seller's appearance in it. Oddly though, she spotted him in the village at the same time. That guy was still strange to Hat Kid. But she decided not to question the logic.

She tossed the final painting into the fire. The crackling was audible as the fire spirits began to burn bright and shout, "Thank youuuu~!" Then a burst from the bonfire and fire spirits came as the fire stretched to the sky. Hat Kid jumped back, startled, but smiled a little.

They disappeared, but they did it by doing what they wished. Then, turning around, she spotted the orange fire wall barrier flash and disappear, opening up more of the forest for Hat Kid to explore. Guess that was now checked off her list.

Her smile immediately faded, however, when the shadow atmosphere returned. The purple floor and sky, as well as surrounding shadows, filled her vision as she braced for the appearance of the Snatcher. Just as she expected, he came out of the ground and lurked over her. She still jumped, still nervous by his presence.

"Well done! Please tell me they suffered. You murdered them, right? I bet you strangled them. Good girl~ haaahahahahaha!" He even patted her head on the last statement, making Hat Kid wince and step back, which resulted in the dark chuckle. He seemed to enjoy scaring her and that kind of annoyed her now. At some point, she was going to show no fear to him. She'll make sure of that.

"Don't think I'm done with you yet, though. There's more of these pests around my forest and I need you to take care of every single one." Hat Kid sighed. Of course there would be more.

"Next on your to-do list: clean up the Subcon Well. That's right, you're a plumber now. Congratulations on your promotion." A plumber? How is that a promotion? They don't fight bad guys and save worlds.

"I also have some...other...work for you that I cannot do myself." He seemed to look to the side stating this. Hat Kid wasn't sure if it was in a scheming manner or in a mildly irritated manner. But he then looked back to her, keeping that wide golden grin showing. "And hey, as long as I need you, you get to stay alive! What a deal, huh?"

Hat Kid only replied with a small shrug. He continued, "But enough talk!" Two jolts of purple lightning then shot in front of her, making her jump as two more contracts hovered in front of her. "You look like you can handle multiple things on your plate at once. Let's get you an additional contract."

What? Now she has to do _more_ work? How long does he planning on keeping her around? When is she going to get her soul back?

He seemed to chuckle, seeing her clearly mildly irritated expression. "Pick one, but only one! Isn't it thrilling to sign your life away?" Hat Kid sighed in defeat and looked over the two contracts.

One contract was titled: "Get Me Something From the Manor." The terms were to enter the manor and find out what's in the attic. Looking at the pictures, the manor screamed horror haunted house as it laid out in a snowy landscape. The following kept hostage would be her soul, but that's already taken. She wouldn't really have much left to lose aside her life.

The other contract was titled: "Deliver Subcon Mail." Its only term was to deliver packages to 10 of his "minions." She still prefer the term Subconites. The pictures showed the Snatcher wearing a postman's hat and a sort of Snatcher-custom scooter with a mail bag. Her soul would still be held hostage. Compared to the first one, this one seemed easy and less likely to put her in harm's way. Taking the quill pen, she signed it. It was then stamped with the Snatcher's custom wax seal and snapped into her hat.

"Good choice! Let's hope you're up for the task! And, you're looking for Time Pieces, right?" Hat Kid blinked. That was probably the first time she heard anyone on this planet identify them correctly. That was a bad sign. His grin seemed to widen when he noticed her surprised expression.

"Well, I found one of them while haunting some poor soul." He then opened up his hand, revealing a Time Piece. He lowered his hand to her and she took the Time Piece, looking it over. It still had its familiar glow and no cracks. She smiled a tiny bit, glad to see that her trip down here wasn't for nothing...even if it costed her soul.

"You can keep it, but this is the only time I'll reward you for completing parts of a contract. Because guess what? I'm not legally obligated to! HAHAHAHAHAAAA!" He then phased into the ground as the shadow atmosphere vanished along with him.

Well, awarded or not, she finally had a Time Piece on hand. She can go back to her ship and just rest for the night after this crazy day. As she held up the Time Piece to take her home...nothing happened? She blinked her eyes open and tapped the Time Piece carefully. Why wasn't it sending her home?

"One more thing!" Hat Kid yelped and jumped back when his head popped back out from the ground in front of her. "I've noticed those Time Pieces have some sort of magical aura in them so I set up a barrier around the forest to keep them from being used. So if you think you're leaving without completing your contractual obligations, too bad. You're my little servant until I say you can leave! Hahahahahahaaaa!" He then vanished once more.

Hat Kid blinked. She was actually stuck here then. What will she eat? Where will she sleep? She looked around, pocketing her Time Piece. All the Subconites went into their homes for the night. Surely she couldn't just go up to them and ask to stay in one of their homes. It could be too small and she isn't exactly part of their community.

With a shaky sigh, she trudged her way onto the path back to the hollowed out tree at the beginning of the forest. Maybe that place would be good enough to stay in.

As she walked down the path, the weight of realizing all that is happening was finally coming on her. She was stuck here. She lost her soul. The Snatcher was like a puppeteer pulling the strings of this forest and she got tangled up along with those strings. She won't see the Conductor. Not DJ Grooves. Not Cookie. Not Rumbi. Not even Mafia Boss that still resides in her ship.

She sniffled a bit as she looked up at the hollowed out tree. What made her blink in surprise, however, was who was inside. The Snatcher himself was sitting in the recliner and reading a book. After his first impression with Hat Kid, this was the last thing she would expect to see him do. She always thought when he vanished, he just torments some other poor beings or makes his forest look extra scary.

Well, if he was staying in there, there was no way she was going to rest in the hollowed out tree. Not even if she asked or wanted to. With a heavy sigh, she looked over to a nearby large mushroom. That was going to have to do. She crawled underneath it and laid down on the grass. At least that soft enough to lay down on.

She recalled the comforts of her room. The cozy bed, her amazing pillow fortress she could swim in, and the soft blankets. Resting out here also brought back a memory she wished to keep away along with many others from her past.

 _Locked out again. They forgot...again. She made her way back to the elderly man's observatory and knocked on the door._

 _She found herself back in a cozy bed, surrounded by star-shaped pillows. She smiled warmly as she snuggled into the fuzzy blanket and drifted off to sleep._

Rain then began to fall as Hat Kid remained sheltered under the large green-glowing mushroom. Hat Kid's eyes then began to show tears as a couple broken sobs came out. She buried her head into her arms and fell asleep a few minutes after, emotionally and physically exhausted.

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Whew. Just when Hat Kid finally catches a break, all this comes crashing in. Let's hope things get better for her. Anyway, finals are in 2 weeks and I've got projects due _this_ week, so expect slow updates. But note, that means summer's coming in~! Which means the slow updates won't last forever. ;)


	18. Secret Wishes and Wells

Y'know, I need to learn time management sometime. That or I need to learn how to break procrastination. But good for you guys! Another chapter. x) Snatcher's a bit of a jerk...okay, actually a jerk in this, but then again he wasn't the nicest to Hat Kid when they first met.

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Hat Kid began to open her eyes come next...morning? The sky still looked dark purple, but just slightly less dark. Guess it just felt like morning. As she slowly sat up, she looked around a bit confused at first. Then the memories came back. Subcon Forest, Snatcher...how she was soulless and no longer allowed to be back on her ship.

When she slowly sat up, she froze in surprise by a couple things. Firstly, there was a sort of leaf blanket over her shoulders. Looking down at it, she saw it was red leaves stitched together to make a blanket. It was surprisingly soft as well.

The other thing that surprised her was her visitors. Two Subconites were resting back to back with each other, sitting close by. One of them, sensing she was awake, looked over to her and showed his invisible smile.

"Morning, newbie. Hope you slept well." Hat Kid could only sit there in surprise. Did they get her this blanket? Why did they choose to watch over her? She questioned those thoughts out-loud to the Subconites and they decided to give a brief answer.

* _FLASHBACK_ *

 _Snatcher let out a happy sigh. This was a good day. A new servant to go around and take care of things while he relaxed in his home, reading his books. Kid seemed pretty jumpy to him, but then again, who wouldn't be by his presence?_

 _It was only until Hat Kid came close to his home when his smile faded a little. Great. What does the hat brat want now?_

 _He looked up from his book only to find she curled up under one of the mushrooms sitting outside his home. Now she was going to sleep on the job? She only just got here. Maybe he should have added "no breaks" on his contracts._

 _It wasn't until it started raining and he faintly heard the kid sob when his expression soften. No. Those were probably crocodile tears, trying to convince him to give her back her soul. Well that's not going to work!_

 _...Her aura did seem to emit sorrow though. He growled to himself and set down the book roughly on the end table next to his recliner. She wasn't going to fool him. No sir!_

 _He hovered outside and prepared to unleash a bit of terror to wake her with a snap of his fingers...until he looked down at her sleeping form. Tears stained her cheeks as she remained curled up under the mushroom, quietly struggling to stay comfortable, dry, and warm. She looked...pretty pathetic._

 _He sighed and lowered his hand. As much as it displeased him, this kid seemed to show potential to him...and the aura she was emitting was making him uncomfortable. She already managed to get rid of those fire spirits and he still has a lot to do from her. He did not want to watch over the kid all night though. That was when he decided to call his minions to take care of that for him._

 _Two of his minions came up to him and he only ordered them, "Keep an eye on the kid. Make sure she's alive in the morning." They nodded in confirmation and he went back into his tree to continue reading._

 _The two Subconites looked at the shivering sleeping child curled up under the mushroom and looked at each other, a bit concerned._

" _She_ did _help us out today...we should return the favor."_

" _Boss did say we needed to keep her alive." With a nod, one of the Subconites headed back to his village to grab something while the other went over to a large bush and picked a large leaf with its stem still attached. It was practically like a leaf parasol. He propped it over the mushroom to guarantee Hat Kid will stay dry._

 _The other Subconite came back with the leaf blanket and carefully draped it over her. She immediately snuggled into it as her form began to shiver less. Both Subconites showed invisible smiles, seeing how adorable this actually appears. They then sat down and waited for her to wake up once more._

* _FLASHBACK END_ *

Huh. Hat Kid never would've thought they would actually be a bit nice to her by keeping her warm. And Snatcher…

She shook her head. No, that's ridiculous. He just wanted to keep her alive so she could keep doing more work for him. Nothing more. Nonetheless, she gave the two Subconites a tiny warm smile in a way of saying thank you. They smiled back...at least it seemed like they did.

Hat Kid crawled out from under the mushroom and stretched. Her clothes were tattered and a bit dirty while her hair was all messy. She huffed and ran her hands through her hair in attempt to fix it. Then, she brushed herself off best she could.

"Oh, and here." One of the Subconites held out a handful of berries. Hat Kid looked up at him questionably.

"Heheh. Don't worry, newbie. They're not poisonous or explosive like the cherries. We just figured you needed some food as well."

"Huh...well...thanks." With a tiny smile, she took the berries and ate them. They were juicy and sweet. Should be filling enough for a good while.

"Others will be helping ya guide your way to the Subcon Well, so we'll be heading back to the village." Hat Kid nodded and waved as the two left her. She then put her hat back on after cleaning off her hands in the large clean puddle around the tree.

Looking up at the tree, she also recalled one Subconite telling her that the view on top of it is pretty amazing. Now she was mildly curious to see what she can see up there.

A bit determined to try, she began walking along the thorny twisted branch and climbing up. She carefully walked along branches, bounced up with mushrooms, and hopped over a few hard toadstools.

A couple Subconites were on the branches as well. One encouraged her by saying, "Not far to go, kid!" While the other one higher up said, "It'd probably be really painful if you fell from this high." That was when Hat Kid looked down. Her heart leaped for a split second as a chill went down her spine. She was high up.

But she looked down at her umbrella in her hand and took a deep breath. If she falls, she can catch herself. Reassured, she continued upward. As she got close, she lost her footing on the thin slick branch and let out a small scream as she fell from it.

She frantically opened her umbrella and floated back onto a large branch with red leaves just a little further down from where she fell. She let out a shaky exhale of relief. That was close. Now more determined to reach the top, she continued upward once more. This time she watched her footing as she climbed past the branch.

Until after one final jump off a purple mushroom, she landed on the very top of the tree. She stood on a very large growing blue mushroom and looked at her surroundings. The only verbal reaction she had was "Whoa…"

Her eyes were wide and sparkling by this amazing view. She was past the seemingly purple sky and looking at the swirling white and blue wind that coated the area around her. She could see all of Subcon Forest from where she was. She faintly spotted Subcon Village, a large well...which must be the well she must get to, a part of the forest with an orange glow as little bits of fire danced in the trees, and an icy region with a faint shape of a manor.

Looking up, she could see the stars from space. Peck, she could even faintly see her spaceship! ...Man, now she was getting ship-sick, which to her was another way of saying homesick. ...Home. She sat down, now wondering if she could get there.

What will be waiting for her? Will all she knew be there? ...Will _they_ even notice she has been gone? Hat Kid sighed and rested her head on her folded arms as they rested on her tucked up knees. Looking down at Subcon Forest, she quietly had a thought. " _Maybe if the people were nicer here...this would be a nice place to stay._ "

Hat Kid considered that thought then shook her head. No, that was ridiculous as well. She couldn't stay here. Pretty much everyone out here has been double-crossing her and obviously not welcoming to her.

...Although DJ Grooves was pretty nice. And the Mafia did claim her as a hero. She's never been called a hero before...it felt amazing. Maybe if she made amends with the Conductor and Mustache Girl...and possibly make Snatcher be less of a grumpy jerk, the thought wouldn't seem so ridiculous...

Hat Kid sighed once more then stood up. She did not have too much time to dwell on it. Time Pieces were meant to be her main focus and that's what she needed to continue forward for. But first, she needed to get her soul back and escape the forest. Of course, after checking around to make sure there are no Time Pieces lying around.

Umbrella in hand, she looked down from the edge of the mushroom. She then took a deep breath and jumped. After a couple seconds of free falling, she opened her umbrella and floated down to the ground safely. She smiled and threw her arms up with pride. She climbed the tree and made it back down without a broken bone.

"Kid, what are you doing?"

Hat Kid jolted when she heard the familiar echoey voice behind her. She turned around and saw the Snatcher in his hollowed-out tree, looking up from his book and giving her a confused expression.

Normally Hat Kid would shyly answer and maybe fidget. But not this time. Looking back how she climbed the biggest structure possibly on this entire planet and did it with barely a scratch, she felt very proud of herself. She felt like she could do almost anything.

So what she did was put her hands on her hips and gave a proud smile as she answered, "I climbed the tree and saw the view. And it was awesome."

The aura she seemed to be emitting kind of surprised the Snatcher. From before, she was fearful and locked in despair...which honestly made him feel a bit sick. It was not a nice aura to sense, even though he should've been used to it by now. Now her aura was...warm. Based on the accomplished smile she showed, she seemed pretty proud and confident.

This amused him greatly. He then began to chuckle until it broke into full laughter. Hat Kid's proud stance lowered a bit as she huffed and looked at him with crossed arms.

His laughter finally died down as he rubbed his eyes. "Ohh that's nice, kid…" His grim grin then returned as he looked directly at her with his dark golden eyes. "But you're supposed to be cleaning the well."

Hat Kid blinked, arms uncrossing. "But I…"

"You don't know where to go, kiddo?"

She looked to the side and shook her head no. She was so caught up in her thoughts and the beauty of the view that she forgot to note where the well was exactly. Maybe in the east? Hard to tell now.

Snatcher then motioned her to come close to him. She hesitated, but walked along the curvy branch into his hollowed-out home. He hovered over to her and leaned down to her level. He pointed out from the entrance hole to the east side of the forest and Hat Kid looked to where he was pointing. Ahead was a sort of mucky purple swamp with a few lily pads, a couple Subconites, and a few wooden bridges.

"It's deep there inside the swamp, but it's big enough even a tiny thing like you can't miss it." He then patted her back to nudge her forward in said direction. She hopped down from the branch and looked up to him with a small appreciative smile.

"Thank you." Snatcher's grin faltered a bit as he glanced to the side while standing back up straight. He did his best to look unamused.

"Yeah sure." But then his grin reappeared as he then said to her before she entered the swamp, "Oh, and one more thing, kid." She turned around, giving him her full attention.

"Try not to trip and hit your head at the bottom. HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!" With that, Hat Kid's smile faded as he entered back into his home. Well...maybe it was progress. She'll get him to come around. Hat Kid tilted her hat down a bit as she turned back around and entered the swamp.

Just looking at the murky purple water told Hat Kid to not step in it. Something about the water just felt...wrong. When she looked up to see where she can jump to and avoid the water, she blinked with mild surprise. Just ahead was a blue framed painting and on the left side of it on another log platform was a blue bonfire with two fire spirits dancing around it.

They must be another group of the spirits Snatcher wanted her to get rid of. Well, they were blocking parts of the forest that Hat Kid may need to access at some point. May as well get that task out of the way.

She jumped across and picked up the painting. Unfortunately, she couldn't jump very far with a painting in her arms. She had to jump and trudge across the rest of the way through the murky purple water.

The Subconite standing close by the painting said, "Careful, kid. I've got a _sinking_ feeling about this swamp." Hat Kid nodded and headed through. The moment she stepped foot in the murky water, she groaned with mild disgust. It felt rocky and slimy at the same time as her little boots began trudging through.

Just as she was getting close, her eyes widen a bit fearfully as these sort of slinky ghost arms began surfacing from the water and circling her. They looked about ready to grab her. She picked up her pace, jumping a bit to help, until she climbed onto the platform. The arms sank back underneath into the depths of the swamp.

Hat Kid did not realize she was shaking until the painting slipped from her grasp a little. She caught herself and took a deep breath. She knew something was bad about the water and her instincts did not lie. She now made a mental note to not stay in the water for long if she _needed_ to be in it.

Thankfully, as she tossed the painting in the fire pit, she spotted the other just in arm's reach. She grabbed it and tossed it in as well. The fire spirits responded with another ghostly thank you and bursted into purple/blue fire towers.

"Burn, burn, burn," Hat Kid shouted excitedly as she threw her arms up. She then froze once the fire burned out. Where did that come from? Hat Kid shrugged. It was probably some extra excitement left over. ...Or maybe a side effect of her lacking a soul? She made a mental note to be careful of her behavior.

With the blue fire spirits gone, the blue fire wall that blocked off the part of the forest with golden orange flames was now open. With a small smile and nod, she hopped back onto her path, avoiding the water as much as possible.

A few Subconites along the way helped point out the way she needed to go. A couple also told her, "They say if you ring certain bells, objects from other dimensions will appear."

Hat Kid quietly wondered what they meant by that. She then finally reached the Subcon Well as she hopped onto the wooden platform sitting in front of it. Looking up, it had to be the biggest well she has ever seen. She wondered if wishes had a better effect of coming true with it.

Looking to her side, she then saw a sort of green bell with a sort of magical bubble emitting from it. Hat Kid cautiously stepped into it and decided to try and ring the bell. She whacked it hard with her umbrella, causing it to ring, and the bubble expanded. Hat Kid's eyes widened with wonder at the sight.

Now, she was surrounded by these sort of magical butterflies that fluttered all around her. Along a couple trees, there were large sparkling solid green leaves that appeared as well. They would be perfect for climbing up to the well.

With an eager smile, she began hopping from leaf to leaf until she reached the edge of the opening of the well. She looked down, her smile fading. That drop looked deep. She picked up a small loose stone and dropped it in to see how deep. After about 7 seconds, a small splash was heard echoing through. Yep, that was pretty deep.

Meanwhile, the Snatcher and an observing Subconite watched as Hat Kid tucked her umbrella under her arm and looked up at the large bucket. Maybe she could use it to lower her down?

Snatcher was getting impatient by how she was doing this task. She already wasted time by climbing his tree and sleeping. He then slowly approached, floating closer to her back with his hands ready to push.

Hat Kid then finally thought it would probably be faster if she jumped with her umbrella in hand, but then again, what if she hit something before she made her way down. Maybe if she had a flashlight-

But before she could completely confirm what she planned to do, she felt a hard shove come from behind and she stumbled forward, right into the well. Her screams echoed as she fell, looking up at the fading light of the forest.

A splash echoed out as Hat Kid hit water. It was a mildly small puddle, but just enough to catch and submerge her. She quickly swam up and surfaced, gasping for air. What shoved her? Surely she didn't slip.

Well...no time to dwell on it. Hat Kid surfaced herself on the left side of the ice crystal cavern and coughed, her body making sure her lungs had enough air in them. With a small shiver from her soaked form, she looked into the large room that was laid out.

Ice was all along the walls and there was a very large ice cube in the middle of the room with a chest inside. To the side, she spotted a Dweller and two cherry bombs. She knew exactly what to do.

Picking up the cherry, she headed to the ice cube while also putting the cherry close to the Dweller. It went inside the cherry, having it activate. She then gave the cherry a good toss and it exploded the ice. The Dweller went back to its original place, nodding as Hat Kid thanked him.

She looked inside the chest and was surprised to find not much. The only thing in there was a badge...but a familiar badge. The Hookshot badge. She smiled, now happy she had one of her own. She kind of missed her grappling hook times with her umbrella.

With it now attached to her hat, she exited the room and went to the other side of the cavern. She found a large pipe with a cork stuck in it that was attached to a sort of pulley system. Maybe if she popped the cork off, it'll spout water and clean up the well as it filled up.

She spotted the pulley hook and used her now permanent Hookshot abilities to latch onto it and pull it down. The cork popped right off, spouting out a large gust of air that shot her right up to a sort of wooden platform. Water then started coming out and it was filling the well fast.

Hat Kid could swim, but not so greatly. She mainly only knew the doggie paddle and that, by far, has been what kept her afloat when in deep water situations. She couldn't do it for long though. So with that knowledge, she began climbing up the platforms and ladders set out to climb the well. She also hooked onto some lanterns to help her get across gaps that were too large for her to jump.

She also yelped when a couple very large spiders with painted faces on their bodies zipped down at her. She recalled them from one blue Time Rift from Mafia Town. They're a bit of a nuisance with their...sawblade-like legs and creepy faces. This must be where they lived.

Avoiding them, she continued going up until she reached a large open pipe...or at least, it would be open if a large wall of ice wasn't blocking the way out. Luckily, a Dweller and a cherry bomb sat nearby and she put them to use.

After blowing up the wall, the whole well began to rumble. The effect of the explosion then had more water shoot out until a wave rushed over Hat Kid and flowed right through the pipe.

Rumbling was felt at Subcon Village, where the rock avalanche laid out at the beginning of their river. Water then bursted through the rocks, knocking them away and refilling the river. Hat Kid, in that burst, flew right out and let out a small scream as she fell right into the refilled river.

She surfaced and gasped for air, then looked around. Looks like she made it out and fulfilled her first contract's obligations. The Subconites gathered at the river's edge while a couple helped her out of the river.

Something else then flew right out of the fast flowing stream of water that made Hat Kid's eyes widen. A Time Piece! There really were Time Pieces around here, and not just from what Snatcher took from a visitor! Hat Kid jumped up and grabbed the Time Piece, hugging it close with an accomplished smile.

"Whoa, newbie. What is that?" Hat Kid's smile faded as she looked at the curious Subconites gathering.

"It's uh...something valuable of mine. They're called Time Pieces and they're fuel for my ship." She puts the Time Piece in her pocket with the other one she got from Snatcher.

"Huh. I think I've seen a couple of those around here, actually."

"Nice job by the way fixing the well!"

"The river's filled back up again and she did it coming out alive."

The Subconites were happily thanking Hat Kid and commenting on her success. Hat Kid could only blush a little and say, "Aww guys thanks…"

The celebration did not last though. Suddenly, a large pipe burst from the ground at the entrance of the village, spouting out dark purple and yellow ghoulish magic. Everyone froze and looked at the direction of it.

Then, more burst from the ground around various parts of the village. The Dwellers were now panicking as they were flying back and forth in a frantic manner.

"Wh-what's going on?"

"It's the outhouse!" Some Subconites began to scream and frantically head for their homes. Hat Kid was completely confused. Outhouse?

The Snatcher then appeared...and boy did he look mad. His normal golden grin was now an angered scowl. "What is going on here?!"

One of the Subconites ran up to him and said, "I-it's the outhouse, boss!"

His expression changed to an irritated one as he ran a hand down his face with a groan. "I thought I was finally done with that stinking poltergeist." He then looked to Hat Kid...and his sinister grin reappeared.

"Hey kiddo. How about we make another contract?" Oh no. He wasn't thinking…

But as he snapped in the contract, he sure was. She hardly needed to read the title to know what he was going to make her do.

"No way! I'm not touching a stinky toilet!" This time she was really putting her foot down. He could make her dive into wells and get rid of fire spirits, but dealing with a smelly, dumb, gross toilet? That's where she'll really draw the line.

His grin faltered a bit as he loomed over her angrily. "Have you forgotten I have not made it clear enough before? Your opinion. Doesn't. MATTER! My village is in danger and I need you to take care of that possessed outhouse!"

"Why do I have to do it? Why can't you?" She stomped her foot and looked right up at him. She wasn't going to cower or back down on this one. Snatcher on the other hand was clearly not in the mood as he began hovering close to her level and right up to her face with a dark glare as he spoke in a dark tone.

"Because you're my servant, because you're small and insignificant, and because I will eat your soul right in front of you if you don't!" Hat Kid fell onto her back by how close the Snatcher was lurking over her. That second statement hurt a bit. Just because she was a kid doesn't mean she didn't matter.

" _I have school today. I'm gonna be late!"_

" _Quiet, Harry. I'm on the phone."_

" _My name's not Harry…" She looked down with a sigh. Guess she was walking today...again._

"...I…"

"SIGN THE DAMN PAPER!" The screams of the Subconites were becoming more apparent as a pipe now bursted through one of their homes. Hat Kid flinched as Snatcher put the contract up to her face. With a shaky hand, she signed her name and he stamped it.

"Now get going!" He floated over to the Subconites and Dwellers, trying to calm them down. Hat Kid slowly stood to her feet and just stared at Snatcher as he was facing the Subconites, back turned to Hat Kid.

A couple tears threatened to show in her eyes, but she rubbed them away with her sleeve. With a serious look, she propped her umbrella on her shoulders.

"I'll show you who's small and insignificant." She headed towards the large gap that lead her to a sort of arena and began swinging her way across with the convenient floating hooks.


	19. Toilet of Doom

"I'll show you who's small and insignificant."

Snatcher blinked, faintly hearing this. That's right...he did say that. He didn't exactly _mean_ to say that; he was just stressed and worried for his minions. He sighed as he thought, " _It's like the well all over again…_ "

* _FLASHBACK_ *

 _The Snatcher chuckled after pushing Hat Kid in, glad that was out of the way. The Subconite on the other hand seemed concerned. "Uh boss? Don't mean to judge your actions but...don't you think that was overdoing it...just a smidge?"_

 _The Snatcher gave the Subconite an unamused look and went, "Psh. She'll be fine. The kid's tough and she's got her umbrella. Plus, if she doesn't survive, oh well. Hahahahaha!" He then flew back to his hollowed-out tree._

 _However, both he and the Subconite felt the same kind of mild emotion: concern. Snatcher didn't understand why he would care if she came back or not. She's just another servant that will soon die along with the others. Nothing significant about her...right?_

 _The Subconite on the other hand was growing to actually like the newbie. Her warm aura kind of brought a bit of joy to a few of them, especially after she climbed the tree. Normally many who come into the forest don't dare to try and if they do, they all end up falling to their doom. She was different in her own special way._

 _Nothing they could do now, however. Nothing except wait and see if she'll surprise them or not._

* _FLASHBACK END_ *

He growled under his breath. Why even care? She's just a little intruder that came to the wrong side of the planet.

Looking down at the Subconites, who were huddling around him in fear, he kept them close and tried using his magic to bring the pipes back underground. He'll rant to himself later. Right now, he had to keep them safe while the kid took care of outhouse.

Meanwhile, Hat Kid landed on the other side of the large gap and groaned at the sight. The Outhouse was a literal outhouse. Only more alive, she supposed. There were also some Dwellers sitting in cages hung by chains. That seemed pretty cruel. Ready to fight, she hopped into the arena, umbrella gripped tightly.

She was immediately greeted with hostility as the outhouse seemed to roar at her. Hat Kid wasn't sure how it roared, but it kind of made sense since its door opened wide to do so. Inside, its pipes were twisted into one large bulbous pipe, like a sort of heart.

It then sank into the disgustingly green dirty water it sat in and burst out of the ground close by. Hat Kid jumped back as it then spat out large green bubbles at her. She noticed in one of them, there was an activated cherry bomb. Once the bubble popped, she cringed as she picked it up and threw it right at the haunted outhouse. She waved her hands in the air in attempt to shake off any drops of the gross water and made a mental note to take a bath as soon as she could.

The Subconites, meanwhile, were beginning to calm down as Snatcher began reassuring them that the problem will be taken care of. He already kept any more pipes from appearing, but was struggling a little to push down a few.

"Hey look! Newbie's fighting the outhouse," shouted one Subconite. The crowd of Subconites all looked to each other and immediately ran to the outside ring of the arena to see. Snatcher continued using his dark shadow magic to push the pipes back down underground.

The outhouse leaped up high into the air and began slamming down, sending shockwaves and regular small waves of its filthy water towards Hat Kid. She stumbled with each stomp and quickly jumped over the small waves of water.

It then jumped back into its pool and blew its horn loudly. Hat Kid covered her ears by the noise, but then her eyes widened when she saw one of the Dweller's cages flying straight for her. She screamed and leaped out of the way. Then more came in her direction. The outhouse must be controlling them.

Looking up, she noticed a lantern hanging above it. With its steam-spouting tangled mess of pipes wide open, Hat Kid had a shot to hit it where it hurts. With a small smirk, she jumped past the flying cages, hooked onto the lantern and swung right into the outhouse, knocking it back. The Subconites watching were surprised and a few even cheered.

Meanwhile, Snatcher finally managed to push the pipes back underground. When he was using a lot of his magic to push down the last one, it surprisingly and suddenly went back into the ground easily. This was after Hat Kid slammed into the outhouse. Snatcher looked towards the arena. With the pipes under control, he had to see for himself how long that kid was going to survive.

The outhouse went back to slamming and sending small waves of dirty water at her. This time, Hat Kid was prepared for the shockwaves to come. She would jump when he slammed down so she wouldn't be knocked off her feet then jump over the waves of water.

It jumped back into its pond and blew its horn again, sending the Dwellers trapped in their cages at her. With its amalgamation of pipes showing, Hat Kid repeated her action and swung right at it, kicking it where the pipes were and knocking it back. More Subconites began to cheer.

The outhouse let out a small roar as it spouted out three bubbles floating in a circle above the pond. Two of them had clean water and one had the filthy green water. In one of the clean bubbles, there was an activated cherry bomb. As the bubbles flew around, the outhouse stomped the ground, sending shockwaves and water waves at Hat Kid.

She looked up at the bubbles and got an idea. She hooked onto the lantern and went through the clean bubble with the cherry bomb inside. With it in her grasp, she jumped over the water wave and threw the cherry bomb right at it.

The outhouse tried repeating this attack by adding more disgusting water-filled bubbles and only a couple clean water bubbles with only one cherry bomb inside one of them. It sent out its shockwaves and water waves after that.

Hat Kid watched her timing while did her best to stay on her feet. She hooked onto the lantern and swung, but almost into one of the dirty-watered ones. She yelped and leaned, just barely avoiding it. She then swung into the clean one with the cherry bomb and threw it right at the outhouse while still in the air. Practically all the Subconites were cheering now.

"She's really damaging the outhouse!"

"Take 'em down, newbie!"

Hearing the cheers, Hat Kid smiled and felt more determined to take down the outhouse. Whether it was going to be in pieces or not did not matter anymore. Sure, it was a...sort of living thing…? But who is she kidding? It's a gross outdoor violent toilet that's doing nothing but hurting the good Subconites. She's more confident in beating the smelly disgusting thing.

The outhouse then did a new move. It summoned a cherry bomb and forced three of the Dwellers inside their cages down into the arena and into the cherry. The cherry became _massive_ and a literal ticking time bomb. If Hat Kid didn't knock the outhouse standing on top of it, that thing will blow and hurt the Subconites.

Hat Kid quickly took action. She jumped onto the summoned cages and stood on top of the ticking giant cherry bomb. She then whacked the outhouse hard with her umbrella, causing it to fall back and roughly onto the cherry bomb. Hat Kid jumped right off as it blew up. Its explosion was surprisingly not as damaging as Hat Kid initially thought. The only thing it did damage was the outhouse. It was beginning to splinter as some boards became a bit loose.

The outhouse was enraged now. It began to try and bodyslam Hat Kid down right on the spot. She leaped out of the way to dodge it. Once it was down, she hit it hard with her umbrella, knocking it back. The Subconites cheered once more. It was getting weaker.

The outhouse then tried its Dweller cage attack once more, but outside its pool. All the easier for Hat Kid to run up and hit it. She charged, ready to whack its open case. However, the outhouse seemed a bit too confident.

Once Hat Kid leaped up to whack the mess of pipes, its splintered door then slammed shut, sealing her inside. The Subconites gasped and Snatcher sat up a bit more straight, eyes widening a bit. It seemed to have predicted her move and trapped her.

Hat Kid was yelping in pain as the hot mess of pipes began burning her skin along with the loose splinters digging into the rest. She needed to get out and fast. As she was thinking of an escape plan, she suddenly realized something. " _I'm inside it. That means…_ " She looked up at the mess of pipes. With her confident smirk returning, she held up her umbrella.

The Subconites began to clamor as they watched with bated breath, now worried she may not make it out. Snatcher was quietly eyeing the outhouse. " _C'mon kid…_ "

The outhouse then lurched over on one of its side, as if it was hit. Then it did the same reaction, turning to the other. It curled up a little, wood breaking, as Hat Kid mercilessly and constantly continued whacking the bundle of pipes.

It finally spat her out as its doors flew open and threw Hat Kid right out. She stumbled out and sat up, seeing the outhouse was stunned with its door wide open. One final blow will finish it off. Hat Kid charged right at it with a battle cry and whacked it the hardest she could.

With that last hit, the outhouse's pipes burst and the whole structure fell into a pile of broken pipes and splintered wooden pieces. A familiar glow also came out from the pile and Hat Kid's eyes widened as she carefully dug through it.

She grabbed a Time Piece out of the mangled pile of junk. The outhouse must've found it and stored it inside itself. Hat Kid reminded herself now to clean it off when she can. The Subconites then began approaching the pile of what remains of the outhouse as Hat Kid pocketed the Time Piece.

"Did you see that?"

"It's really gone...it's in pieces now."

They then all looked to Hat Kid and began going to her side.

"And the kid here did it with just an umbrella!"

"Man, you got a good arm, newbie!"

"You really took it down!"

"Let's hear it for newbie!" The Subconites all cheered as Hat Kid glanced down with a shy smile and blush. Goodness, it was like Mafia Town all over again. Claimed as a hero once more, now for Subcon Forest. What were the odds? She, of course, thanked them for the kind gestures.

She then looked over to Snatcher, who was floating far off to the side, looking at the kid with mild surprise. She only smirked and crossed her arms, in a way of silently saying, "You were saying?"

Snatcher blinked, then mimicked her gesture, but in a way of saying, "Not bad, kid…" He then flew back to his tree, seeing that the crisis was averted and the kid-...his servant was okay. Maybe she'll even be up for a future contract he had in mind that no one ever seems to finish alive.

* * *

Hat Kid had a skip in her step, going back to the Snatcher's tree. True, fighting a giant evil toilet was gross and tough...the slight burns on her skin and splinters were telling her so, but the Subconites now seem more nice to her than anyone has lately.

As she was heading for the tree, she strayed from the path a little, focusing on removing the splinters from her arms. There were also a couple in her back and a few in her legs, but she planned to get them once she stopped at the tree to clean herself off.

But suddenly, a ring of tall purple thorns then shot out of the ground and surrounded her, causing her to let out a small gasp. Then the shadowy atmosphere returned. This time, Hat Kid was prepared for her "surprise visitor," since she was already aware of his entrances.

Just as she predicted, the Snatcher came out from the ground right in front of her with his golden grin wide. "HAHAHAHAHAHA! FOOOOooo…" He blinked and his smile faltered a little, seeing it was not a new victim that dim-wittingly wandered into his forest, but instead his own servant. "Oh wait, it's you."

Hat Kid couldn't help but snicker a bit, seeing she caught _him_ off-guard this time. He crossed his arms and said, "I was kind of expecting a new victim to step in my traps. I've already taken your soul and everything. Have you even completed your contractual obligations yet?"

Hat Kid actually hummed in thought. She found Subcon village, took out the fire spirits...with maybe one more to go since there was still one more fire wall up at the far side of the forest, cleaned the Subcon Well, and defeated the outhouse boss. There was that other contract she signed up for though. The mail delivery one?

She finally looked up at Snatcher and responded with a shrug. She wasn't even sure how to start that one. She didn't have a scooter and wasn't given any mail. Snatcher only sighed and rubbed his eyes with his pointer finger and thumb...at least it looked like he was doing so.

"Look, don't take it personal, kid, but stay clear of my traps. There's only so many times my voice can handle yelling like that. You're taking the experience away from other people." Hat Kid smirked a little, amused how he was talking to her...and in a less shouting and threatening tone.

Seeing the smirk, Snatcher smirked back. " _Well. May as well see if my assumption will be correct._ " "Uh, but since you _did_ step in my trap, I might as well extend our business endeavours!"

Hat Kid's smirk faded once he said that. _Another_ contract? This was getting a bit tedious. But then again, she had three Time Pieces in her pocket now and the contracts haven't been _too_ bad. May as well roll with it.

Snatcher cleared his throat and spoke loudly once more. "FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!" He then waved his hands like he was trying to act ghost-like. It honestly made Hat Kid giggle a little. "Oooh you've stepped into my forest~! And now you must payyyy the price~!"

Hearing her giggle surprisingly made Snatcher's smirk widen a tiny bit with amusement. Something about her laughter just made her aura feel a bit warmer. It was...a nice feeling. But Snatcher shook his head. No, focus on the contract.

A purple lightning bolt flashed in front of Hat Kid, ceasing her giggles and having her blink in mild surprise. The same contract with the manor's task was floating right in front of her along with a quill pen. It was one of the two contracts she didn't sign after she took out the fire spirits. She looked up at Snatcher, a bit reluctant now, but he gave her a look that silently told her she wasn't going to get out of this, no matter what she'd say or do.

She sighed and signed it, having it stamped and disappear into her hat. "Not a bad choice! This one should be a breeze! The manor should be just across the broken bridge into the icy wasteland in the west." Hat Kid recalled that bridge. It had two weird statues standing in front of it. The headless one gave her the creeps.

"So anyway, I'm off! Smell you later!" He then phased into the ground and the shadowy atmosphere vanished. The thorns from earlier also disappeared into the ground. Hat Kid shook her head with a tiny smile and continued heading to the tree.

* * *

She knelt down and began washing her arms after pulling up her sleeves. She already pulled the last of the splinters off at least and the burns were not too bad. It was worse when the wall of fire hit her elbow back on Train Rush, which has recovered really well. She could hardly see it anymore.

She then began cleaning off the Time Piece, just for extra cleaning measures in case it was stored where all the dirty water came from that gross outhouse. Hat Kid also looked up at the tree, watching Snatcher read his book. She quietly wondered what he likes to read. Boring books about law? Horror stories?

She hummed in thought, then pocketed the Time Piece. After the battle and Subcon Well, she surprisingly still felt pretty awake. She looked into her hat and pulled out the manor contract. Maybe she should get this out of the way for the night. The sooner, the better.

She put the contract back inside and put on her ice hat, which can at least keep her ears and head warm for when she'll go through the icy part of the land. She then marched to the broken bridge, umbrella in hand.

Let's see how haunted this mansion is.

.

.

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May as well throw this in before I really get properly working. Woot woot for Hat Kid! Let's just hope she can survive the evil queen Vanessa. I also really appreciate the support you guys have been giving me and this story. Thank you so much! x)


	20. Enter the Manor

Hat Kid shivered and hugged her arms. She knew it would be cold, but this was _freezing_! She continued trudging through the snow that almost reached her ankles, her brown boots crunching through it.

She blew into her cold hands, seeing her visible warm breath, and rubbed them together in an attempt to stay warm. The ice hat she had on was helping a little, but not enough.

Looking around, Hat Kid quietly wondered how one region not far from the cool forest would have all this snow and ice. She looked around this so-called winter wonderland and walked up to a few houses. They looked like village homes, but there were large thick icicles piercing through them. Makes sense why they would be abandoned...but who did they belong to? Was this an old village?

Hat Kid hummed in thought, then looked over to an opening into the icy catacombs. That must be the way in. She headed forward and was stopped by a purple galaxy-patterned wall. In front of it was one of the green bells that showed the objects from other dimensions...at least that's what the Subconites told her.

She hit the bell, having it ring and make the wall disappear. She blinked in mild wonder, then understood the logic of the objects. Before she would ring the bell, she would also see green outlines of the objects that appear after she rang it. It must be the opposite of these purple objects that are a part of this realm.

She walked through while the wall was temporarily gone and encountered the same kind of puzzle for both the green and purple platforms. Hat Kid rang the bell and hopped onto the two green platforms, then right at the last second as the bubble was shrinking, she jumped onto the purple platform. With the solid object under her feet, she hopped over the ice wall that stood in her way.

Now another ice wall stood in her path. But atop a few ice pillars was a Dweller and next to her was a cherry bomb. She picked up the cherry and hopped across to the Dweller, having it go inside the cherry, then threw the cherry at the ice wall, destroying it.

And yet another ice wall stood in her way. This time, green platforms were outlined up to a small ice bridge close to it. On the ice bridge was another Dweller and cherry bomb. She was beginning to question if all these puzzles were a universal sign for her to turn back. But, just as the Mafioso said back at the HQ, she's persistent. Maybe this manor has a Time Piece inside as well.

She tilted her hat down and began jumping atop the dimensional platforms after ringing the bell. Once she reached the Dweller and cherry bomb, the ice wall was blown up. Then, iron gates and an opening could be seen. Finally, she might be able to reach it.

She began running ahead, but her movements slowed as she looked up with a very soft slow gasp. A crooked shadowed manor stood atop the small hill as snow gently fell around Hat Kid. All lights were shining from all 3-4 floors. At the entrance of the stairwell were two statues, both headless.

Hat Kid avoided eye contact with the statues and headed up to the front door. When she pulled on the doorknob, it barely budged. Locked, plus the small snow pile in front of her would've kept her out as well.

She then yelped as she was picked up by her cape. She huffed, thinking it was Snatcher that grabbed her just to scare her. She turned her head to say something, but then her face went pale. That wasn't Snatcher.

It was the _statue_.

Its ice cold grip tightened on her cape and began walking to the back of the house. Hat Kid frantically began hitting the statue with her umbrella, but it had no effect on it. Hitting it, it didn't even feel like stone. It felt like true solid ice.

When it reached the back of the house, a cellar door opened up for them. A large gust of wind blew at them and the statue threw Hat Kid inside, causing a small scream to come out from her. The cellar doors slammed shut once she was thrown in.

Hat Kid fell down a small stairwell and landed in the basement, which was ankle high in murky water. It didn't seem as gross at the outhouse's water, but it was still disturbing and mildly gross. She moaned in mild pain and checked herself over. After that, she's probably going to wake up with a couple bruises tomorrow.

The basement was only dimly lit with large barrels stacked around the water-filled area. There were also metal chains on the stone walls, most likely used to lock your wrists and keep you hung against it. Hat Kid just took one look and felt a chill go down her spine. She decided to keep moving forward.

"Hey, newbie!"

Hat Kid let out a small shriek and turned around. But relief soon took fear's place as she saw it was only one of the Subconites. The Subconite seemed surprised by the shriek and also...nervous. His head would look left and right every so often as he slightly trembled.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" Hat Kid gripped the rim of her top hat. She already got grabbed from behind. She did not need another being sneaking behind her.

"Heh. Sorry about that. Boss told me to come down and remind you, uhh...you signed that paper about not using your hats while in the manor."

Hat Kid blinked. No way that can be right. She took off her hat and checked the contract inside. She read it over once more. It wasn't until she found the fine print underneath the terms section. In very small font, it read "Hats will not be used."

Well, that can't be good for her. She needs her hats. What if whatever or whoever lives here tries to attack her? She'll need her sprint hat to run faster and away from it. Or her brewer's hat to break things with her potions. Her new ice hat to maybe fool them since this place seemed ice-themed.

"So uh...I can hold onto those hats while you get through." Hat Kid looked up at him with a small pout.

"Do I really have to?"

"You know the Boss, newbie. Whatever is written in the contract goes."

Hat Kid sighed and decided to comply. She took out her Sprint, Ice, and Brewer's hats. But when she was about to remove her top hat, the Subconite said, "That one should be fine, newbie, since it's just an accessory and has all your contracts."

Hat Kid quietly nodded. At least she won't be hatless. She handed the three special hats to the Subconite and said, "Do not lose these, please. It took a lot of effort to make them."

"Thanks. Don't worry, newbie. They're in good hands." With a small nod, he ran back up the stairs and exited back to the forest. He seemed more than happy to be far away from here.

With a sigh, Hat Kid adjusted her hat and began looking around. The first thing she spotted as she entered a small room was a ball of spooky yarn. She pocketed it and saw something glimmer from the corner of her eye. She looked over and spotted a key sitting on a small pile of tiny boxes.

She jumped up and grabbed it, then went out the room to the double doors in front of her. She unlocked the doors with the key and entered, going up the stairwell.

The first floor was an elegant yet dimly lit hallway. A long purple carpet, blue wallpaper, and wooden furniture all nicely placed. There was also a mirror on top of a dresser, but it was cracked. What stood out to Hat Kid the most was the ice statue of some creature right next to a door. It looked realistic.

Hat Kid took a breath and walked to her left. That was a large mistake. Her footsteps creaked along the wooden floor.

"WHO'S THERE?! Who dares enter my home?!"

An echoing female voice boomed out, making Hat Kid fall onto her back and crawl backward in fear. She heard footsteps coming from the farthest door down and the doorknob slowly turned. Hat Kid had to suppress a scream with what she saw.

A hunched-over shadow of a woman, so to speak. A dark aura was coming off of her shadowed body, her hair was tangled and flowing down to her waist, her arms and fingers were long and thin, her nails were like claws, and her dress was ragged and torn. She was a literal personified nightmare.

Then, her glowing red eyes looked around. They were about to lock onto Hat Kid, but she quickly went to the door next to her, immediately pinning her body against it as it shut. Her heart was racing.

She looked around, now hoping for a way out of this mess. Her eyes then turned to a book on a tall bookshelf. It had a sort of bookmark in it that glimmered. Could it be a key?

She went over and jumped up to grab it, but it was out of her reach. She huffed and decided to look around for something that could help. So far, the room only provided the bookshelf, a Dweller ice statue, and a piano.

She went into the next room and found herself in a kitchen. It had a neat dining room table with a lit candelabra in the middle of it, green cabinets, and a fridge. Hat Kid looked around the kitchen, hoping to find a step-stool or something she can use to help get the key. When she looked in the fridge, she blinked with mild surprise. There was another key inside, only the handle was shaped like a treble clef music note.

She did notice there was strangely a keyhole on the side of the piano. Curious to try it, she grabbed the key and inserted it in. The piano's top cover opened up, but nothing more. Hat Kid hummed and began thinking this over. Maybe if she went on top of the piano, she could jump to the book on the shelf. It was probably her best bet.

She climbed onto the bench and hopped on top of the piano. But that caused the cover to slam shut, making a loud noise. Hat Kid froze, eyes wide.

"Knock, knock~. I'm on my way~."

The door to the kitchen in the other room was heard opening. Hat Kid's immediately took shelter under the piano, silently praying she wouldn't see her. The lady entered the room and looked around. Hat Kid kept her mouth covered to keep her from hearing her rapid breathing. She was trembling like a leaf about to fall from its branch from the wind.

A huff was heard and the lady exited the room, going out the kitchen door. Hat Kid let out a shaky exhale of relief. That was too close. She carefully crawled out and looked at the book on the bookshelf. Her eyes widen a bit when she saw it was just on the verge of falling from the shelf. The tension from the slam from the piano must've caused it to slip. Maybe if she did it again…

Hat Kid looked to the piano and took a deep breath. If she was going to do this, she had to do it properly. The only door she could get through that she hasn't been in was the one the lady came out of. Maybe that's where she needed to go next. So when the book falls from the shelf, she'll grab the key, run out the room, and head through the door before the old scary lady knows she even left.

With the plan in mind, Hat Kid climbed back on the bench and jumped onto the piano. This time, the piano's legs broke and the bench fell over from how hard she jumped onto it. The book fell right off the shelf, opening and revealing the bookmark, which really was a key.

"I know you're here~! I'm coming!" Hat Kid had to move fast. She grabbed the key and quickly exited the room just as the lady went into the kitchen. She dashed down the hall and entered the door.

She found herself in a sort of rec room with a couple frozen figures. One looked like an elderly man and the other looked like a Mafioso. They were both cowering in fear in their positions. Hat Kid shuddered and looked away, towards a locked door. She quickly unlocked it, then ran upstairs to the second floor.

The second floor looked a bit more terrifying. It was the same kind of design, only the wallpaper was green and torn...like something with sharp claws just scratched along the walls. Hat Kid had a good idea what or who did so in possible madness and insanity.

On her right side of the hallway, there were two doors. The one on the far end at the corner was locked. On her right was one other door. Which one should she enter?

The lady's insane giggles were heard coming from the stairwell. Hat Kid's blood ran cold. She was coming up! Hat Kid took her chances and entered the door on her left.

She found herself in an elegant bedroom. A queen-sized bed with royal red sheets and a canopy with golden threads, a large open closet, a vanity with a red felt stool, a wooden nightstand with a candelabra, a large wooden desk with a bench, and a wooden dresser.

Hat Kid also spotted an open diary book on the nightstand. Normally, to her, it was wrong to invade someone's private thoughts...but she was curious to see how this lady thinks or acts. She climbed onto the bed carefully and looked into the diary. Most of the pages were torn, but there were a few that were legible. She began reading.

" _Why? What have I done wrong? In his letters he talks about her. A 'tutor'. He says he loves me. But SHE sees him. I get letters and SHE gets his time. He is MINE. Once his studies are finished, I will have him back._ "

Love-obsessed. That might explain some things. Hat Kid turned the pages until she found another legible one.

" _Dear diary,_

 _Today my prince left to begin his studies. He will be so far away and for so long. He has promised to write. He won't forget me, will he? His beloved princess?_ "

"Hm…" So her loved one left to do some schooling. Least he promised to write, which seems to make him a good guy. Hat Kid has heard though that long-distance relationships usually never end well. Curious, she turned to the last legible page.

" _He is coming back. Just one weekend. A short holiday from HER. I will convince him to stay. I CANNOT let my love leave again._ "

Sounds a little melodramatic. Hat Kid quietly wondered how this could be done, but shook her head dismissing the curious thought. Maybe it was best she didn't know. She quietly closed the diary book and climbed down from the bed. She then spotted a slip of paper on the desk. Curiosity leads her to read it.

" _Mother had a bit of an accident last week, so today I got crowned as queen. Now the prince can't call me his princess! Life isn't fair!_ "

Hat Kid blinked. That crazy creepy old lady was a princess? Well, that would explain the crown and dress. But Hat Kid always thought that princesses were kind and pretty, not scary and evil. Maybe queens were though...Hat Kid shrugged. Anyone's guess was as good as her own. She then looked at a letter on the desk right next to the note. Its handwriting was different and the bottom of it was torn. Hat Kid read what was left of it.

" _My dearest Vanessa,_

 _It has been many days since I saw you last, but it feels like months. My time at the Academy is hard, but I am progressing quickly. There is so much to study when it comes to law, but the library here is well-stocked. Our tutors are the finest in the land and I am thankful for their help. I have been attending a private study with one, an experienced practitioner of law by the name of Lady—_ "

Hat Kid got a lot more information out of that, despite the rest of it being ruined and torn. So the princess's name is Vanessa, her prince went to an Academy to study law, and apparently, she got jealous thinking he was seeing another person when it was for tutoring...unless that was a lie. Hard to say.

She spotted one last note in the room and read it over. Reading the notes at least calms her nerves a bit.

" _My prince enjoys his breakfast far too much. I'm jealous of that darn bacon! He loves it! No more bacon in this house!_ "

Okay now, this is getting ridiculous. How does one get jealous of bacon? And to ban bacon in general? That was cold and cruel.

"Are we playing a game~? You hide...and I'll seek."

Hat Kid froze. She then recalled the situation she was currently in and shook her head. She can't get off-track. Not in a place like this. She then saw something shimmer at the top of the bed canopy. Another key! ...Why were they always out of reach when she needs them?

Nothing in this room Hat Kid could use, so she went to the next room that was close by. Her eyes widen a bit when she looked around. It was a child's room. Blue wallpaper, toys, a baby crib, a cracked mirror, a train set much like the relic she had back at the ship, and more ice statues. This was a whole new level of creepy.

There was also one last note sitting on the nightstand next to her. There wasn't much written, so Hat Kid decided to read it.

" _Oh, I wish I could keep him always! Locked up and in chains in the cellar! But you can't chain a man...can you?_ "

A chill went down Hat Kid's spine. She felt so sorry for the prince that was this crazy lady's boyfriend. How would anyone end up with a mental case such as her? Hat Kid quietly turned over the note to its other side, showing the blank side of the note. She did not want to read that over again. Too creepy for her liking.

Hat Kid then spotted 3 red balloons attached to a large yellow and purple present nearby the baby crib. Maybe she could use one of them to reach the key and nudge it off the canopy.

Hearing Vanessa's giggling, she decided to try it quickly. She grabbed one of the balloons and headed back into the bedroom. She carefully guided the balloon to the key and nudged it. It only moved a little, but not enough to fall. Hat Kid huffed, but then squeaked and jumped when the heat of the lit candles on the candelabra popped the balloon.

"Ready or not~, here I come~."

Her eyes went wide as the doorknob to the bedroom began to turn. Hat Kid dashed back to the child's room and pinned herself against the wall. Her heart was pounding her chest and her breathing became shaky.

She remained completely silent as Vanessa looked around the room. Then a male scream was heard. It sounded like a Mafioso. The footsteps then faded as the bedroom door opened back up and shut behind Vanessa. Hat Kid dared to peek back into the bedroom.

She let out a small gasp when she saw, laying under a knocked over closet, was a frozen Mafioso. If what Hat Kid was assuming to be true, then all those statues...they were real people.

Hat Kid knelt down to the frozen Mafioso and gently patted his head. He tried his best to hide but did not prevail. If she wasn't careful, she'll end up being the next statue. The very thought made her blood run cold once more. She had to get that key and fast.

She went back into the child's room and grabbed the second balloon. She tried the same technique again on the key, but it was only now slightly tilted down. So close to falling off, but not close enough. Hat Kid let out a very soft groan of mild frustration.

"Come on out. We can have some tea~."

Hat Kid took a breath and tried to keep calm. Leaving the balloon behind, she went back to get the last one. Third time's the charm, right? But as she entered, the door slammed shut behind her and the balloon popped. Hat Kid's eyes went wide and she dove under the baby crib to hide.

Surprisingly, Vanessa didn't come in here. By the sound of it, she went back into the bedroom. When all was quiet, Hat Kid peeked into the bedroom. The door shut behind Vanessa as she exited. When Hat Kid looked up to where the key was, she gasped. It was gone!

The balloon must've made Vanessa see it. Hat Kid facepalmed, feeling dumb for just leaving the balloon there. She had to get that key back. Re-adjusting her hat, she bravely stepped into the hallway and looked around. A shower was heard running in the room to the right side of the hallway.

" _Oh no…_ " Hat Kid, with a trembling hand, slowly and quietly turned the doorknob and entered. A small clean bathroom with a large shower going off. There was also something written in red on the mirror. It said, "My prince has gone." Something told Hat Kid that what it was written in wasn't greasepaint.

She then spotted the key...on the other side of the bathroom. Hat Kid slowly began to tiptoe towards the key, but as lightning flashed outside, she saw the silhouette of Vanessa in the shower. Thankfully, her shadowy form looked the same. She still even had her dress on. Nonetheless, fear kicked in and Hat Kid backed up to the door.

But looking to the key, she had no choice. She carefully advanced once more to get it. Just as she almost grabbed it, a growl was heard behind her. Hat Kid turned her head and went pale. Vanessa's bloody red eyes were locked right onto her.

Hat Kid immediately snatched the key and ran right out of the bathroom as fast as her legs could go. Vanessa let out an unholy screech and chased her. Hat Kid slammed the door behind her and dashed to the end of the hallway, unlocking the door. The bathroom door was broken down as another screech was heard. Hat Kid wasted no time getting up the stairwell, shutting the doors behind her.

Finally, she reached the attic. Cobwebs, boxes and a chest were all that was mainly there. Hat Kid immediately went to the chest and opened it. She then appeared surprised. The only thing that laid inside was a Time Piece. How did it get here and in Vanessa's clutches?

At the moment, it did not matter. Hat Kid grabbed it and pocketed it, wanting nothing more but to leave this house of nightmares. She got what she needed. She looked out the window of the manor and opened it. Looking down, the 4-story drop seemed dangerous to jump down from. But then again, she climbed Snatcher's tree. That was MUCH taller than this.

Hat Kid jumped and opened her umbrella once she was close to reaching the ground. She then took off running. Vanessa's cries and high-pitched screeching could be heard. Hat Kid dared not to look back.

She didn't stop running even when she jumped past the broken bridge outside the snowy area. She just kept going as a couple tears formed in her eyes. Terror kept her legs running and her speed fast. She didn't stop until, when close to Snatcher's tree, she tripped on a root from one of the forest's trees.

Panting, she finally looked back, crawling backward and on the verge of hyperventilating. All the fear she had from before finally came crashing down on her when she fully acknowledged what she was just put through. She could've died and by a terrifying lady that freezes anyone that dares to come near her.

Her back then hit one of the mushrooms around the area. Her breathing began to slow back down to its normal rate and a few tears even went down her cheeks. That was, by far, one of the most terrifying things she has been put through in her life.

"Hey, newbie. You alright? You don't look so good…" Hat Kid jolted and looked to her left. She was unresponsive for a couple minutes as she stared at the Subconite that was waiting for her at the tree.

"...Y…yeah."

"Okay well...here are your hats." He held out her special hats and she took them with trembling hands. She only gave him a small nod, in a way of saying thanks. He nodded back and headed back to his village.

With all the fear and running, exhaustion finally hit Hat Kid like a brick. Her eyes began to droop as she rubbed them and she laid down on the grass. Now that she was far from that haunted manor, closing her eyes and drifting off for a little bit couldn't hurt.

* * *

Snatcher looked up from his book, sensing the kid's aura enter his part of the forest once more. He actually seemed surprised. She actually made it out of Vanessa's manor? Not one of his servants/victims ever gets out of there alive...well except his last one. He was honestly mildly impressed with the kid's capabilities.

He closed his book with a smirk. " _I bet the kid's still shaken from the manor._ " He may as well "surprise" her, right? He phased into the ground and then appeared where she was, right in front of her. But before he could say or do anything, he stopped. The kid was asleep.

"...Seriously kiddo? Sleeping on the job again? You're not gonna get that soul back anytime soon if you keep delaying like this." He wasn't even trying to whisper or anything. She had one more contract left. Why delay now with sleep?

Hat Kid only mumbled and rolled onto her side, her hat falling off her head. Snatcher sighed with annoyance. Great, she's already in deep sleep. Now what is he supposed to do with her?

She then began to curl up a bit, hugging her arms. Snatcher couldn't really feel temperature, but he's willing to bet she's still a bit cold from entering Vanessa's territory. He looked at his tree, then the kid. He then sighed.

"Alright...just this once, I'll let it slide. Can't let you get through these contracts without a little struggle anyhow, I guess." He then gently picked up Hat Kid and her hat. He flew into his tree, where he was certain it was a bit warmer than outside.

He reassured himself that he wasn't doing this just to be nice. No, the kid was cold and he didn't want her to freeze. If she clearly got past Vanessa's task, then she has some real potential. She's useful, nothing more.

He looked around for a place to set her down, but probably the only comfiest spot was his recliner. He wasn't giving that up for her, especially since he wanted to keep reading his book. With a small sigh, he snapped his fingers and had a large pillow and blanket appear. He set Hat Kid down on the pillow and draped the blanket over her.

He then looked down at the hat he held. He smirked a little and put it on top of his head. "I think I'll hold onto this until you're up." His smirk then faded as he looked down at her. As if he was talking to her, he said, "I'm only doing this to you _once_. You tell anyone about this, you can say goodbye to that precious soul of yours."

Hat Kid's only response was her snuggling into the blanket, humming with comfort and warmth. Snatcher rolled his eyes and flew back into his recliner, picking up his book and reading where he last left off.

About an hour later, Hat Kid started to whimper. Snatcher looked up from his book, furrowing his eyebrows...if he had any. What's the kid whining about now? His annoyed expression then softened as he saw she was still asleep but shifting a lot. Was she...having a nightmare?

* _Meanwhile, in Hat Kid's dreams…_ *

 _Hat Kid ran through the burning city. Her breathing was rapid and her heart was pounding. Vanessa found her and she was chasing her down the streets._

 _Hat Kid went to the old man's observatory. He'll help her, right?_

 _Unfortunately, as her feet then skidded to a stop, she found the building in ruins. No sign of the old man anywhere._

 _Vanessa's unholy shriek was heard coming up close behind Hat Kid. She had to keep running. There was one more place she could try and take refuge._

 _She ran right up to a house's front door and tried to open it. No...it was locked again. Of all times, this was not a good one! She began banging on the door, screaming for help._

 _Then, the door opened, showing two figures standing at it. Hat Kid looked up at them with tears of relief. She then begged them to help. But…_

" _Not now, Heather."_

 _No. That wasn't her name. What do they mean "not now?" Don't they see Vanessa chasing her?_

" _B-but Vanessa! She's after me and-"_

" _Listen to your mother, Harry. Don't be a brat!"_

" _I'm not-"_

" _Stop being a nuisance, Hailey."_

" _But-"_

 _Vanessa's shrieking was heard once more. She was_ really _close now. Hat Kid reached out for the figures' hands, but they slammed the door shut in front of her._

" _No...NO NO PLEASE! I'LL BE GOOD! PLEASE LET ME IN!" Hat Kid was banging on the door hard. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she screamed._

" _You may come in when you learn to be a proper daughter."_

 _Hat Kid turned around and Vanessa was coming right at her, reaching out to her. With nothing to defend herself with, Hat Kid covered her eyes and whimpered._

* _Back in reality…_ *

Snatcher's eyes widen a bit, seeing the kid now have tears going down her cheeks. She really was having a nightmare...a really bad one. He could easily sense it through her aura as well. If this keeps up, she'll be too shaken up to do anything tomorrow.

He shut his book once more, marking what page he was on, and flew to the kiddo's side. At first, he just stood there and stared. He had no idea how to comfort her. He's never had to do this. He never felt the need to do this. He _shouldn't_ be doing this!

But he had to try. The kid's...no good to him if she's too scared to even get up and do her job. Yeah, that's the reason. He decided to try and comfort through words.

"Kid...you're fine. Nothing's coming to get ya." His tone had a hint of annoyance...but it did sound sincere.

In response, Hat Kid's expression softened. She looked confused, but less fearful. Snatcher kept going. He then involuntarily began rubbing his hand along her back gently in comfort.

"They can't hurt you. Nothing's gonna while I'm here. So relax already."

Did he actually say that? He mentally scolded himself for letting that slip. He wasn't caring about her. No, she was just another servant. She'll die like the rest and it wouldn't matter to him. ...Would it?

Back in Hat Kid's dreams, Vanessa seemed to vanish as Snatcher took her place. He seemed annoyed, but much less threatening than Vanessa.

She began to relax as the tears slowed and her breathing became normal. A soft exhale came out and she snuggled into the blanket, comforted.

Snatcher smirked a little and gently patted her head. "Now rest, kid. We've got work to do tomorrow."

Now that that was out of the way, he sat back down in his recliner to continue reading. But he glanced back up at the now peacefully sleeping child and frowned. He _wasn't_ getting attached. No, she just needs a proper rest for their task tomorrow. That was his _only_ reason.

"...G'night, kiddo."

.

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But we all know he's lying to himself. x) Thank you guys for being patient as I'm getting updates in a bit slower than normal. I really appreciate the support.


	21. Deliveries and Discoveries

Guess who's back? Back again! Finally, after putting up with finals and travels, I am free and on summer vacation! So I'm back in action! :) I thank all you readers for your patience. Means a lot. Just hope I can get back into the swing of things.

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Hat Kid mumbled and began to sit up, her eyes half open. She started recalling events from yesterday. The giant well...the gross toilet...that creepy mansion with that crazy queen. Then, after looking around, she rubbed her eyes. What was she doing in Snatcher's tree? ...On a pillow with a blanket? But who did this?

"GOOOOD MORNING!" Hat Kid blinked and looked out the tree. She was shocked at first but then started to giggle. Snatcher was floating right outside his tree with a blue mailman's hat on top of his head. Not a bad look for an intimidating, soul-stealing shadow.

"Hey. The hat is necessary for your next task. Are you ready to complete your contractual obligations?" With a small smile, Hat Kid nodded and climbed off the pillow, grabbing her hat that was set to the side.

"So...mail delivery? Of all things?"

He rolled his eyes, but his grin remained. "I'm not heartless. Every so often I sneak into mailboxes and steal letters, then deliver them to my minions. That way, it's almost like someone cares about them."

Hat Kid was honestly a bit surprised. First, she woke up in his tree and he didn't seem bothered by it. Now, she finds out he gives letters to the Subconites to show his care? Well, true, the letters are stolen. But still, normally masters aren't kind to their minions. Hat Kid smiled a bit while crossing her arms. For an evil shadow monster, he doesn't seem as monstrous as he first appeared.

Snatcher continued, "But our last mailman has gone…*poof*." He held up his hand and opened it on the onomatopoeia. Then lightly booped her little nose while saying, "You'll have to do." He must be really excited about this if he's this happy.

Then in a small puff of purple smoke, a gift box appeared in front of Hat Kid. It was wrapped in purple wrapping paper with a golden yellow moon pattern. "I've got a gift for the occasion! Although, it requires a special kind of hat to use. I hope you got it! Hahahahahaha!"

Curious, Hat Kid opened the present. A small gasp escaped when she saw it was a badge. But not just any badge; it was a scooter badge! When she checked with the Badge Seller, this badge was 500 pons. She didn't have enough at the time, so she couldn't enjoy the fun of riding the scooter.

With her special hats, she could use her Sprint hat to make a scooter appear with a snap of her fingers. With an eager smile, she quickly equipped it. Snatcher then noted for her, "This _mail delivery_ badge is only a rental. I need it back before you leave once you're done with deliveries. Remember to put it on your Sprint hat or it does absolutely nothing. HAHAHAHAAA!"

Hat Kid already had her Sprint hat equipped. But before she snapped her fingers, she looked up at Snatcher and asked, "But how will I know which minion gets mail? Is it all of them?"

"Simple kiddo. I can point them out while you're riding around and tossing mail."

Hat Kid tilted her head. He doesn't mean… "That's right! I'll be following you to make sure you don't screw it up."

But Snatcher truthfully wanted to make sure his minions were satisfied with the letters. The joy they feel from getting letters was wonderful to see and feel for him. But he couldn't tell the kid that. He's already been _merciful_ , not kind, enough to let her rest in his tree. Can't let her see the great care he has to his minions. What if the kid uses that against him?

Hat Kid let out a small sigh but shrugged in a way of silently saying "Makes sense, I guess." She then snapped her fingers, letting the scooter appear and have her seated. The scooter was dark purple with a small Snatcher face painted on the front of it. Behind her seat was a large blue bag filled with all sorts of letters and packages.

"You set, kid?" He hovered down right next to her. She smiled eagerly and revved up the little scooter's engine.

"Let's roll!" She then sped off. Snatcher laughed and followed, flying beside her. Hat Kid beeped her horn and giggled. "Choo choo~!"

"Heads up, kid." He pointed up and she looked in his direction. A Subconite was sitting on a tree branch, waving. She smiled and dug into the blue delivery bag, pulling out a package. She then tossed it right up to the Subconite. He caught it and shouted, "Thanks, newbie!"

Hat Kid waved and kept going. This was going to be an easy task...maybe even a bit fun. She made a mental note to save up more pons to make sure she got her own scooter.

Coming up to Subcon Village, there were a couple Subconites standing beside the path, waving. Hat Kid dug up a couple letters and tossed them both to them. They, of course, said their thank-you's and waved to Snatcher with bright invisible smiles. He would grin back and wave to them. It was nice getting a bit of extra help with deliveries.

After delivering a few more letters and packages to more Subconites, Hat Kid continued scooting around for more Subconites. She then spotted one in a tree just above the swamp. Without looking where she was going, she sped right towards him while tossing a package. Snatcher noticed her heading right into the swamp and his golden eyes widened.

"Whoa whoa whoa, kid!" His tail quickly looped in front of the scooter, stopping it as its wheel was just hanging over the edge of the swamp. Hat Kid gasped and finally looked down. Another step closer, she would've been swimming with the mysterious hands that dragged anyone in.

"You gotta keep your eyes on the road." He turned her scooter around, putting her back on the regular road.

"R-right...sorry." She continued forward, then stopped at the broken bridge. She then looked up at Snatcher. "Think there are any of them there?"

But she blinked when she saw him just...staring at the frozen area. He looked...scared yet angry? His normal grin was gone and he was rubbing his wrists, which were trembling. His eyes shone their normal golden color, but with a bit of hidden malice behind them.

"Snatcher?" He snapped out of this broken state and looked down at Hat Kid. Her head was tilted curiously. Why was he so bothered by that place? Does he know about the creepy lady and how she's not a nice neighbor?

"Uh...no, kid. That place doesn't have any of my minions there. I think...you can check the back part of the forest. There should be a couple left." He then began flying back to his tree.

"Oh...on my own?"

"Yeah, kid. Can't really miss them." He waved his hand dismissively and floated out of her sight. Hat Kid sat there for a moment, watching him go. She wondered what all that was about. But she shook her head and decided to head to the backside of the forest.

Surely enough, there were a couple minions standing around to receive their letters and/or packages. To her luck, one even rewarded her with a Time Piece they found. She thanked them and decided to ride around a bit more to enjoy her time on the scooter.

But then she stopped when she looked to her left. It looked like the remnants of an older, smaller version of a well. It was all broken up like a miniature meteor hit it. A geyser of water was shooting high, but it was also frozen in place. In the middle of it was a purple Time Rift.

Hat Kid got off the scooter and began to approach. She was about to question how she missed this, but then remembered her conditions. If she wasn't on the ship, of course, she wouldn't have known there were Time Rifts appearing here.

Since she was technically done with all her current contractual obligations, it wouldn't hurt to check out the rift. She jumped off a few icicles that appeared alongside the geyser and touched the Time Rift. With a flash of light, she disappeared into it.

She first landed on a very small ice-coated island. She recalled her time at Vanessa's manor and shivered. Hopefully, she won't run into her here. Spotting a golden storybook page floating nearby, she grabbed it and entered the hatch.

The change in setting was surprisingly different. Now she was in the forest, only high in the trees, that had flames dancing in the trees as well as a wrecking ball nearby that swung back and forth close to one of the treehouses that sat in the trees. There were a few sleeping raccoons nearby as well. Some of them were not flying about, threatening to fall on her when she came close.

Hat Kid navigated and leaped across the trees, finding all the Rift Pons she needed as well as four more storybook pages. This is probably going to be the longest story of the past she'll earn. Once she found the hatch, she jumped right in.

She then found herself in a dreary atmosphere, standing atop a large pillar. Below her was a sea of transparent water and across from her were more pillars. They seemed to make a path to the next hatch and showed two more storybook pages. She made her way across, gathering the pages and pons, then jumping into the unlocked hatch.

Her next location had her standing on ice that coated the water in the well she was on. Across from her were more pillars, only more narrow and coated in ice. As she hopped on the first one, it began to tremble. Fearing it will fall, she hopped to the next one. The one before crumbled and the one she stood on was about to do the same. She had to be quick on getting across.

Once she jumped into the hatch, she found herself in a green-foggy area with more large pillars around. There were also these weird electric black squids that tried to shock her. After taking care of them, she journeyed around while gathering her Rift Pons.

She then noticed an open window in one of the pillars below her. When she jumped in, it was like a library. After grabbing the storybook page that was floating inside, she looked at the books that were laid out. There was one heavy one that had the title, "Proof of Ethical Consumption Under Capitalism." But oddly enough, the pages were all blank. Guess there's no proof.

Hat Kid exited the miniature library and hopped into the hatch, finding herself standing on a raft in the middle of the black water in Subcon Forest. In front of her was also the purple time rift. She immediately smacked it a few times with her umbrella, destroying it, and grabbed the Time Piece. With a warm smile, she teleported back to the forest.

Once outside the rift, she sat down against one of the ruined structures and looked over the now complete storybook. The title read, "The Tale of Queen Vanessa." Hat Kid hummed with hesitance. She already knew she loved her prince in an unhealthy way and went mad. What's more to know? ...Yet curious, she opened to the first page.

First, it showed two people, holding hands and with hearts all around them. On the right was a young woman with beautiful long blond hair, a tiara, and an elegant green dress. Was that how Queen Vanessa looked before? She actually seemed pretty.

On the left was a young man with a small crown, red and purple prince-like clothes, and short toffee-brown flowing hair that curled up a bit at the ends. He must be the prince she loved. They both seemed so happy in this picture…

The second page showed Queen Vanessa, walking around a village with little villagers greeting her with bright smiles. They all wore animal masks and cloaks. Odd choice in clothing, but Hat Kid wasn't one to judge. And Vanessa seemed so nice to them as she warmly smiled back and greeted them.

The third page showed Queen Vanessa and the Prince...but something was wrong. The Prince was with another maiden. She had long red hair in a braid and wore a simple blue dress and brown apron. They stood nearby a flower cart and they were both holding hands. Vanessa was in shock.

The next page displayed Vanessa's pain. Her bright beautiful colors seemed to have dulled as streams of tears were rolling down her cheeks. Her heart was displayed, and it was snapped in half. Maybe this was where it all started…

On the fifth page, Vanessa was seen running away in tears. The Prince was looking in the direction she ran off to, now seemingly worried and/or confused. And as it turned out, he was shaking hands with that lady because he was buying flowers from her. She held a gold coin in one of her hands while in the other, she held a bouquet. Purple and white flowers.

On the sixth page, he seemed to be at the castle, trying to explain to Vanessa what was really happening. But it appears she wasn't listening. Her back was turned and a sort of dark, shadowy aura seemed to form around her. A picture behind them had the Prince's face torn...probably by Vanessa's hand.

On the seventh page, Hat Kid held her breath as she saw the Prince being carried away by a couple of evil-looking guards. Vanessa's form began to change into the very being Hat Kid knew and feared. Dark, hunched over, and with ice forming at her feet. The Prince seemed to try and cry out and/or plea, but it did him no good.

On the next page-...

No…

No way…

Hat Kid blinked and rubbed her eyes, in complete shock. There's no way this is true! It can't be...but it was. The Prince was in the dungeon...chained by his wrists and looking down in tears. But his form...it was coated in shadows...and his eyes glowed gold.

Hat Kid knew those eyes. They were _Snatcher's_ eyes. So if that was all true, then…

"Snatcher is Vanessa's prince," she questioned softly to herself. But how was it possible? It could explain a few things, she guessed. But she never thought…

"Hey, kid!" Hat Kid jolted and closed the book, quickly shoving it in her pocket. Snatcher approached her with his arms crossed.

"What are you doing out here?"

"U-uh...nothing?" She gave a nervous smile. Looking up at Snatcher now felt so weird. To think...he was a prince. She wanted to ask. She wanted to know if all she read was true so badly. But if it really was all true...she knew she shouldn't. It would only reopen some painful wounds.

His invisible eyebrow raised in suspicion, but he dismissed it. "Well, I need that badge. Like I said, it's a rental."

"O-oh right, of course." She took off the badge and handed it to him. He glanced down at it, then seemed...hesitant. But then he looked back up at her...and his grin seemed to widen a bit.

"Y'know...those Time Pieces you've been finding...I actually think I spotted one back where you fought that outhouse. Why don't you go check it out before you leave to go home?" Then after a small dark chuckle, he turned around and floated away.

Hat Kid's eyebrows furrowed in suspicion now. What was he up to? Maybe that Time Piece is a trap. ...Couldn't hurt to check though. But before she left, she looked at the final page of the storybook, which only showed Queen Vanessa's current form.

She turned back to the second to last page and took another long look at it. It was just...baffling to find out that a responsible, charming prince could turn into a corrupted, soul-stealing shadow. That would explain the contracts though. As well as his care for his "minions." A prince does care for his citizens, after all.

Hat Kid looked down and hummed in thought, then pocketed the storybook. Keeping all she now knew in her mind, she headed off to the arena where she fought the gross toilet.

Time to finish what she came here for.


	22. Your Contract Has Expired

Hat Kid finished swinging across the gap, arriving at the entrance of the arena. The place still faintly smells because of the outhouse. Least it's gone now. Looking into the arena, just on the far end of it, she spotted a familiar white glow. A Time Piece floated there.

Something told her it could be a trap, but she decided to risk it. After all she's gone through already, she should be ready for anything. She hopped into the arena and reached to grab the Time Piece.

"Wait up, kid." Hat Kid froze, her hand just an inch away from grabbing the Time Piece. A sort of chill went up her spine.

"Remember how the old contractor had his head pop off?" Hat Kid lowered her hand and turned around, facing the Snatcher. He appeared from the slightly less dirty water area in the middle of the arena. He was grinning...and in a malicious manner.

He continued, "That wasn't a coincidence. It popped off the moment he stopped being useful to me. And guess who else just became obsolete?"

Hat Kid's eyes widened and she took a small step back. Snatcher's grin seemed to grow by that action. "That's right. **You**."

He then rotated his wrist in a sort of dismissive manner while looking up and saying, "Now that that possessed outhouse isn't bothering me anymore and all those contracts of yours are tidied away…" He then looked back down at her. "I don't need you around."

" _Then why doesn't he just let me go?_ "

"Besides, you didn't think I was gonna let you keep all those Time Pieces, did you? They fell in my forest, kid. They belong to ME!"

Then, with his sinister grin, he reached a hand up and swung it at her. She flinched and put her hands up in defense. But no hit came. Instead, the top of her head felt empty. She opened her eyes and patted the top of her head. She then looked up at Snatcher, who was now wearing...her hat! ...This cannot be good.

Purple shadow magic then swirled around the two and Hat Kid blinked, finding herself in darkness. Snatcher's golden face appeared large in front of her as he grinned.

"Time you saw what I'm really capable of, kid. Say goodbye to that little head of yours!"

In a blink of an eye, the darkness disappeared and all that surrounded the arena was the shadow magic, trapping the two inside. There were Subconites on the sidelines as well, watching a bit anxiously. Hat Kid was now hatless and Snatcher immediately attacked.

And when Snatcher attacked, he was planning on throwing _everything_ at her. Magic beams began to fire from beneath her feet, causing her to yelp and leap out of the way for each blast. Then, Snatcher would call groups of the Subconites to his side and spin them around, having them attack her if she didn't jump over them.

Hat Kid had her umbrella on hand and she looked up at Snatcher, wondering how she was going to be able to hit him. Not only was he in that slightly filthy and boiling water, but she didn't seem to see any hint of blue outlining she would sometimes spot with her hat.

"You're probably waiting for me to turn blue, aren't you? Sorry, kiddo. Blue doesn't suit me. And I guess that makes me invincible, huh? That's too bad! AHHHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!"

Guess Hat Kid was going to need to come up with a plan to attack. And fast. But for now, she focused on dodging. He then snapped his fingers, switching her signature top hat to her Brewing Hat she sewed after Mafia Town. Her eyes widened as he summoned 5 blue potion vials.

"Let's try some of these!" He then hurled them right towards her. She quickly dodged each one best she could. If she had her Sprint Hat, this could be a bit easier.

"Not enough? Let's try 1,000!" A _lot_ of blue potion vials then appeared and were thrown right at her. Multiple explosions went off and Hat Kid yelped as one hit her and knocked her back. Snatcher laughed as the potion hit, but she got back on her feet. Looking down at her sleeve, she noticed the remains of the blue liquid were staining it. Her eyes lit up. This could work.

"Too many, eh? Let's try just one!" One was then thrown right at her, but she dodged this time. It didn't break, however, as Snatcher's eyes narrowed down. "Wait, hold on. That one should have totally hit you." He then hovered it right above Hat Kid's head. "Come on~. Give it a chance."

Hat Kid kept running until it came falling down. She leaped out of the way, letting it get smashed and not damaging her. Snatcher's grin faltered a bit as he said, "You're kinda rude, aren't you?"

He then called the Subconites to attack once more while at the same time, blasted more beams under her feet. Hat Kid was now having a bit of a hard time dodging. He really was throwing all he can at her.

He then disappeared and reappeared as a crowd of shadow Hat Kid replicas. They all still had his golden grin and eyes and were taunting her while saying, "This is how you look! You're an idiot! Nah-nah-nah-na-nah~!"

Hat Kid froze.

" _But I-I can help. I know how to do this._ "

" _I doubt it, idiot. Just because you're working with the old man doesn't mean you're any smarter than him._ "

Mocking child laughter echoed through her mind and tears threatened to show. But no, she wasn't going to let it. She pushed the memory away and swung her umbrella at a couple of the replicas. They only jumped out of her reach and laughed, then vanished. Snatcher reappeared back in his area and summoned more potions.

He threw them right at her and she dodged them all. But then she noticed one that didn't break, just laying to the side. Snatcher didn't seem to notice as he summoned his Subconites once more.

Dodging the Subconites, Hat Kid grabbed the potion and threw it right at him. It broke and splattered blue potion liquid all over him. He froze. His smile was gone and he seemed completely shocked.

"...Did you just color me blue with my own attack?"

Hat Kid smiled a bit, victoriously. Surely now she can attack him. Snatcher looked over himself, still a bit shocked. "This can't count, right? Surely this doesn't count!" But looking at her smile, it seemed to be the case.

His eyes burned their normal golden color, but his aura seemed to give off true malice. His frown turned to an angered scowl as his voice became darker. "That does it. **TIME TO DIIIIIE!** "

More magic beams began to explode from underneath her feet. Hat Kid let out a small scream and did her best to dodge the onslaught. He then disappeared into the boiling water, then popped out from one side of the arena. It left a small tremor and a small wave of the water he sat in.

Recalling this from the outhouse's fight, she quickly got to her feet and jumped over the wave. He did this a few more times until he appeared right behind her. He was about to grab her until she hit him hard with her umbrella. He yelped and flinched back in pain. Seems that potion truly did make him vulnerable.

He growled and went back to his middle area. His grin returned as darkness then swallowed the area. On her left and right side were...two Snatchers? But which one was the real one? She looked between the two, but before she came to a decision, the Snatcher on her left punched her hard. She yelped and fell onto her back.

Then a wave of magic beams circled the arena, heading straight for her. She quickly got up and leaped right at the very end of it, just narrowly dodging it all. Then, darkness appeared once more. But just before it did, Hat Kid finally spotted that Snatcher winked and had a gleam in his eye before the two Snatchers appeared.

She quickly looked between the two and spotted the left one with the same gleam. She did not hesitate to whack him a couple times with her umbrella. He covered his face in pain. "Urgh. YOU LITTLE BRAT!"

He then reappeared back in his middle area, then started reappearing in various spots in the arena, sending tremors and small waves. Hat Kid was prepared this time, however. She jumped a few times, keeping above the waves and on her feet. When Snatcher was in umbrella-whacking range, she gave him a good hard hit.

He retreated back to his middle area and send out the ring of magic beams at her. She immediately went to the spot where the first one was shot and was safe from the oncoming fire. He then sent out more various ones and did his reappearing around the arena move once more. Hat Kid landed another hit on him.

Darkness then appeared once more as Hat Kid saw him wink and appear as two of himself. She couldn't spot the glint, but maybe...since he winked with his right eye…

Hat Kid took a breath and risked it. She worked up her remaining strength and gave the Snatcher to the right a good hard hit. Snatcher yelled out in pain, falling back. She picked correctly. Then, there was a flash of white.

Hat Kid looked around after uncovering her eyes. Nothing but darkness once more. Her hat laid on the ground at her feet from where she hit Snatcher last and she immediately picked it up. After hugging it to her chest, she placed it back on her head.

Ahead of her, she then spotted a faint golden glow just a bit far away from her. Snatcher. He was hunched over, panting and appeared in great pain. Hat Kid, keeping her umbrella close, began to approach.

"*huff* *huff* You're such a disrespectful young lady…"

Hat Kid continued approaching. She was prepared for him to attack once more.

"I feel...so weak…*huff*" He seemed to have curled up while saying that.

Hat Kid's expression softened. She now seemed concerned.

"Please…*huff* have mercy…" His voice sounded broken as he curled up more.

Her movements slowed. The memory of the second-to-last page in the storybook began to appear in her mind. She felt her heart sink a little.

"*huff* Please…HAVE A SEAT!" He then suddenly appeared right in front of her. Before she could react, a bench appeared from underneath her and she was forced to sit down. She lost her grip on her umbrella and it tumbled out of reach.

"All these Time Pieces landed in MY forest! They are MY property!"

Before Hat Kid could argue, another contract appeared in front of her. Snatcher's smile was present, but his voice showed exasperation. "So...let's make a deal, young lady. You get out of my forest and we never see you...again. How's that sound for a deal?"

Never come back again? Sure, she doesn't want to stay against her will...but she doesn't just want to be banished from this place. She grew to kind of like it over time. And what about Snatcher?

Seeing her expression, Snatcher could easily sense her lack of enthusiasm. "Not a fan? Too. Bad. _You_ don't make the calls here."

"Here, I'll even make it easier for you." He then stamped the contract, even before Hat Kid had a chance to read or sign it. By stamping the contract, he is in agreement with the terms stated within it.

"Now...all that's left is for you to sign it!" The tone of his voice sounded desperate. Hat Kid's eyebrows furrowed as she decided to take a look at this new contract.

All it basically stated was, "Get out." The title, the terms, and the pictures all gave the same message. The parts of the forest she would have access to would be, "None of it. Get out." And finally, "Please, take all your junk and leave."

He wasn't being subtle on this. He was trying extremely hard to make her leave the forest. With a sigh, she began to sign. But before she finished her name, she stopped. An idea came to her mind when she took another look at the stamp. He stamped it before she could sign it...does that mean everything written here will be followed by him as well?

With a small mischievous smile, she began to change the contract. She scribbled out the title and wrote, "Stay and Have Fun." In place of the terms, she only wrote, "Be nice." She would have access to all of the forest and she made Snatcher's face in the pictures have smiles. And finally, her pièce de résistance, "Please be my BFF." Then, she finished signing it.

Snatcher was in complete shock with what she just did. She just completely changed the contract on him. She can't do that...right? "...You understand that's...not how contracts work, right?"

Hat Kid simply crossed her arms with a small proud smile. They sure do work that way now. And by the terms of the contract, he was now her contractually obligated BFF.

Snatcher was trying hard to get her to leave as he said, keeping his desperate tone, "I'm giving you a chance to scram, kid! There's no catches or clauses this time!"

Hat Kid wasn't moving from her spot. Snatcher was struggling now. He then stated, "What if I give you your soul back? W-will...will that make you leave?"

Her soul then appeared in front of her and floated back into her body. Her eyes widened and a bright smile formed. She felt relieved, energized, and now just the usual amount of empty. Overall, she felt whole and complete.

But even with her soul back, she wasn't willing to just...leave Snatcher. She just quietly looked up at him, smile fading. Snatcher's golden grin was far gone as he shouted, "Yes? No? H-hello? Are you there? Why aren't you saying anything?!"

The two stared at each other for a few moments. Hat Kid's expression showed deep concern and firm determination. She wasn't going to leave the forest forever, especially not Snatcher and the Subconites.

Meanwhile, Snatcher seemed greatly worried. He tried to get rid of her. He actually tried. He fought her but she somehow _won_. NONE of his contractors ever faced him and won! And now not even contracts are convincing her to leave. If she stayed around even more, what if she was a danger to his Subconites? ...What if she was a danger to himself?

Snatcher finally broke the silence as his expression grew serious. "You're quite the character, aren't you? And a tough negotiator." He then looked to the side. "Fine. I'll sweeten the deal for you."

He then held out his hand, revealing the Time Piece she planned to grab earlier. Her eyes widened a bit as she looked up at him, then to the Time Piece. He just looked to the side dismissively as he said, "Here. Take my last Time Piece."

Hat Kid smiled a little and took it, immediately pocketing it. Snatcher finally looked at her and spoke in his usual angry tone, "If I continue to see you around my forest after this, I'll be VERY. DISAPPOINTED!"

Hat Kid climbed off the bench and just looked up at him. "Do I…?"

"Yes yes, you can use them to get you home. Just go already!"

Hat Kid looked down, then gave a small nod. "Alright, but I'll be back another day."

He blinked and looked down at her. "No, you won't. You're not-"

"My contract says I can still come here." Snatcher froze. With that mischievous little grin she was showing, it was clear that nothing he could say was going to back down that belief. He stamped it and it was signed with those terms.

"I'm also not asking you to be my friend right now...but I will be expecting it soon."

He growled, anger boiling inside. He finally let it all out as he shouted, "Get. The Heck. OUT OF MY FOREST!"

Hat Kid jolted and ran off, Time Piece in hand. But she stopped and looked back with a smile. She'll be back someday. Besides, there could also be a couple Time Rifts she missed. If she was going to make sure nothing went wrong with time itself, those rifts need to be sealed.

With a small glow from the Time Piece, she disappeared from the dark abyss and was making her way back to the ship. Once she was gone, Snatcher sighed and rubbed his eyes with his forefinger and thumb.

"Stupid...hat brat, thinking she can just…" But before he could grumble more to himself, he felt a new presence enter the forest and set off one of his traps. He looked up and his grin finally reappeared.

"Well...I think this is just what I need to cheer me up." He then disappeared to their location. He'll worry about the kid later. Right now, he needed to take care of his new victim.

Back on her ship, Hat Kid took a deep breath and exhaled with a warm smile. Her Rumbi jumped up and down with joy, happy to see their master was back. A voice then came from the kitchen.

"It's almost a wonder how a young girl such as her could take care of herself with all this 'food.'"

Hat Kid blinked. That was Cookie. Excited to see a friendly face, she ran up to the kitchen. Once she entered, Cooking Cat turned to her.

"Sweetie! So glad your-...land sakes, what happened to you?"

Hat Kid blinked in confusion, then looked down at herself. She did not realize her condition since she was residing in the forest against her will. But looking down, she saw that she was a _mess_. Her clothes were ragged, dirty and torn at a few places. Her hair was tattered and had quite a few knots and leaves. She also seemed pretty thin from lack of food. Overall, she was in really bad shape.

"I uh…"

"Nevermind that. Let's get you cleaned up." Cookie then proceeded to take care of her. First, she gave her a proper spaghetti dinner, not like the blue spaghetti noodles and eyeballs. Then she made sure she had a proper bath while she cleaned her clothes, getting her a nice pair of pajamas. They were light purple with a Time Piece for a design on the pajama shirt. Finally, she immediately set her off to bed.

Relaxing in her cozy bed with plush blankets and soft pillows, Hat Kid vowed to never take the bed for granted again. Exhausted from recent events, she closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep. Cookie rubbed her head with a small smile and turned off the lights.

She then said softly to herself, "I don't think it'll be any trouble if I stay here for a little while."

The automated doors then shut behind her as she headed back to the kitchen.


	23. Repairing Rifts and Bonds

" _Come on, Hat Kid. Time to wake up. We've got work to do._ "

Hat Kid mumbled and rubbed her eyes. "Tim…?" She sat up and looked around, then realized she wasn't back at her home planet's observatory. She recalled her recent memories and yawned. With a stretch, she climbed out of bed.

She still found it hard to believe that for the past 2-3 days, she was trapped in a dark forest that was ruled by a shadow being that used to be a prince. And now, she overcame any odds, beat him, and made him her new BFF. Hat Kid smiled a bit while looking down. He'll probably come around to accepting it at some point.

Her stomach then growled, pulling her out of her thoughts. That's right. For those past days, she basically lived off of berries alone. Toast or anything else sounded really good right about now.

As she exited her room, she quietly pondered what she was going to eat for breakfast. Maybe she could treat herself and have more than just toast. Then again, that's all she knew how to make that didn't end up with a fire or some weird concoction she would call food.

But just as she walked into the kitchen, she was surprised to see that Cooking Cat was still here. She was already awake and cooking. Whatever she was making smelled delicious.

"Cookie…?"

Cooking Cat turned to Hat Kid with a bright smile. "Good morning, dearie! Did you rest well?"

"Uh yeah. ...How come you're still here?"

"Well, I figured after seeing the state you were in after whatever adventure you were just on, it probably would be best if I stayed here for a little while and made sure you were eating well." Hat Kid rubbed the back of her head while looking down in thought. Was she really that beat up and worn out?

"I-I...don't want to trouble you."

"It's not trouble at all, honey! I always enjoy cooking for those that love my food," she replied with a bright smile. Seeing that smile pushed away any doubts from Hat Kid's mind. She nodded and quietly went to her seat at the table.

When Cooking Cat questioned how Hat Kid ended up the way she was when she came home, Hat Kid decided to not give all the details...for Snatcher's sake and her own. Especially with the small detail of Snatcher being different than how he was before.

Cooking Cat then set onto her plate a couple sunny-side-up eggs and bacon. Hat Kid's eyes sparkled and she immediately began eating, already enjoying this new breakfast dish.

Cooking Cat smiled a little, then began to clean the dishes. "Also, while you were gone, a couple things came up at the ship. This weird alarm was going off. Something about 'time rifts'?" Hat Kid stopped for a moment to speak.

"Oh right. Uh...that's something I just need to take care of. I've done it before and was fine though." She quietly hoped that that purple rift was the only most hazardous one that her ship will warn her about and there won't be a lot more rifts to take care of.

"If you say so…" Hat Kid resumed eating and finished it off quickly. She then got up and headed to her room to change into her normal outfit. Once she looked through her closet, she stopped when she saw the costumes she kept from Dead Bird Studio.

Looking at her detective outfit, she then thought about the Conductor. She wondered how he was doing now. Maybe after she took care of the possible remaining rifts, she can check back at Dead Bird Studio and see.

Once she was all dressed, she went to her main computer and checked the past alarms. There were three rift alerts during her absence: one purple and two blue. She already took care of the purple one, so thankfully she only had the two blue ones. Checking their locations, Hat Kid headed to the hatch and looked down at Subcon Forest.

"May as well pay my BFF a visit." With a small smile, she jumped down.

* * *

Snatcher hummed and went into his tree, a Mafioso soul in hand. He would've had him sign a contract to do some work for him, but he was strangely not in the mood and the hat brat already took care of most of the work.

He sighed as he put the soul away later for consumption. It was still hard to believe that that kid took him down and endured everything he threw at her. She even almost got him to like her. With her stupid positive personality, her dumb smile, her...bright laugh, and...warm aura.

He shook his head and growled. He would never go down that sort of trusting road. Not after _her_. With a sigh, he sat down in his recliner and pulled out one of his law books. May as well do some rereading.

But he stopped, feeling a somewhat familiar presence coming into the forest.

"Oh no…"

"Snatcher~!" Just as he feared. The hat brat's back. She hopped into his tree and hopped onto his recliner arm with a small smile.

"Hey Snatcher."

"You again? I thought I made myself pretty clear last time, kiddo." He then picked her up by her cape and dropped her onto the ground. "We're done. Finished. Our working relationship is over. I'm not wasting any more clerical supplies on you! Now get the heck. Out. Of my forest!"

Hat Kid didn't budge this time though. She just continued smiling up at him. "Our 'working' relationship is over, yeah. But not our _friendship_ relationship. Remember the contract?"

He growled under his breath and finally looked away from his book to glare at her. "Kid. Our business is concluded. I'm not giving you anything else. _Especially_ not the satisfaction of you being my 'friend.' Get lost!"

Hat Kid's smile faltered a bit, but she shrugged. "Okay. But I'll be around if you need me." With a small smirk, she headed out of the tree and to one of the rift locations, leaving him to sigh with exasperation. She was going to be a reoccurring problem, wasn't she?

Walking through the backside of the forest, past the outskirts of the burning part of the forest, she climbed over an iron gate and made her way across a few structures. A blue time rift sat atop one of the tall structures. Jumping off a few spiders, then leaping to the structure, she hit the time rift and entered it as a bright light shone out.

She found herself back in the familiar, underwater-like area with new obstacles to face. This time, there were not only blue and white platforms and gears to hop along, but also a few alternate-dimension green platforms to form with the green bells provided. It wasn't difficult to get across it all and gain the Time Piece she needed.

Back outside in reality, she pocketed the Time Piece and headed to the next and final location of the rift. Heading back forward on the path, she spotted a large pipe structure on the left side of the path. Climbing into it, she spotted the next blue rift. She hopped down and touched it, teleporting her into it.

This rift had its familiar atmosphere, but different obstacles once more. This time, there were red and white platforms that fall easily when stepping onto them and the Time Piece could be seen floating in between a couple hooks she could grapple onto with her Hookshot badge. She'll have to be quick and nimble to get across it all, but when has that ever been a problem?

First, she tried to stay on as many blue platforms as possible. If she needed to go onto the red, she would immediately jump right off them as soon as she landed on them. Next, she swung her way onto different turning gears or spinning platforms with the many hooks provided for her. Finally, she ran across the path of red platforms and with a big leap, grappled onto the hook in front of her and swung right into the Time Piece. Once she grabbed hold of it, it teleported her right back to the forest.

She smiled as she pocketed the Time Piece. After the forest and these two rifts, she now had 27 Time Pieces. Over halfway there till she can get to her new home. With a small eager smile, she headed back up to her ship using one of the Time Pieces.

* * *

Cooking Cat hummed as she went through her fridge, gathering a few food items from a couple crates. The Mafia have regular food items besides the cans of rotting meat, but they just never use them.

"Wonder if she'll like smoked salmon...or maybe pierogis! Maybe I should keep it simple for now." She gathered all she needed and exited the abandoned kitchen from the Mafia base. After the fall from their missing leader, the base was abandoned. At least she could work in peace and in a proper kitchen after cleaning it up.

"I wonder if any other Mafiosos have kept any hot coco packets hidden around as well…" She decided to check around town as she hopped down from the base and landed on a tarp. Climbing down, she headed to the plaza.

"Surely you have seen the little darling here. She lives here, right? Short, brown hair in a ponytail, purple top hat."

Cooking Cat stopped and peered around the corner. A strange penguin with an afro, 70's-like clothing, and very tall platform shoes was talking to one of the Mafioso. He seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn't recall who he was.

"Mafia hadn't seen little girl since other little girl made island covered in lava."

Curious, Cooking Cat stepped in. "You wouldn't happen to be talking about the little Hat girl, would you?"

DJ Grooves turned to her. "Y-yes! There's um...trouble at the studio and I need my diva's assistance." He looked worried.

Cooking Cat then replied, "I think I know where she is. I'll go find her and have her meet you at the studio."

Seeming relieved, DJ Grooves shook her paw while saying, "Oh thank you, darling. Means a lot." He then headed back to Dead Bird Studio. The Mafioso looked at Cooking Cat, confused.

"What did weirdly dressed bird want with little hat kid?"

"I'm not sure...but I'd better check with her." Using a borrowed Time Piece, with Hat Kid's permission, she headed back up to the ship.

* * *

"DJ Grooves? In Mafia Town?"

"Is that was his name was? He said he was looking for you and there's trouble at the studio. He a friend of yours?" Hat Kid thought that over. A friend. Well, he was really nice to her during their shootings, helped make her a star in the first place, saved her from a large debt, and helped her during her fight with the Conductor. She supposed after all that, he does qualify as a really good friend.

"Yeah. He is. One of the nicest people I got to know on this planet." She said that with honesty and a small smile.

"Then I'd go see what all the fuss is about at his studio. Just be back for dinner." Hat Kid nodded and hopped out of the hatch, making her way back to Dead Bird Studio.

Meanwhile, DJ Grooves was pacing a bit at the entrance. Hopefully, Hat Kid will come. She's only one that he knew that could possibly fix this problem. Then, as if his silent prayers were answered, Hat Kid floated down and landed beside him.

"Hey DJ."

"Darling! Good to see you." He showed a relieved smile, then putting his flipper on her back, motioned her inside and through his movie set.

"So, what exactly is the problem?"

"It's the Conductor." Hat Kid blinked in surprise. Was he causing trouble? Sabotaging? Gone a murder spree? She seemed troubled.

"Wh...what about him?"

"He's…" He sighed and knelt down in front of her. "I don't know any other way to put this except that he's not himself. I've tried talking to him, but he only lashes out. Not even his owls are helping, especially after...well, your fight against him. I'm worried if he keeps going the way he is, he'll end up hurting himself."

Hat Kid tilted her head. That was still pretty vague. And yet, she had to state out-loud, "So...you don't hate him?"

DJ Grooves blinked in mild surprise. "No, darling. It is true he is very...hot-headed, stubborn, and violent, but I would never truly wish harm upon him. I am mad at him for hurting you, but any violent act I would inflict on him would be a good punch to knock some sense into him. My mother didn't raise me to be a fighter, after all." Hat Kid smiled a bit to that. She guessed it was only the Conductor who wishes the violent acts; meanwhile, the rest of the arguing is mainly competition.

"But I still don't get it. What is actually wrong with him?"

DJ Grooves stood up and looked down the street on his set. One of the buildings on the side was a pub. He seemed to be looking directly at it. "I think...you should see for yourself, darling."

Upon entering, there were a few Moon Penguins playing some jazz music on a small stage to the far right as well as Express Owls and other Moon Penguins chatting and having drinks. The birds seemed to be in their own groups as they sat on different sides of the pub. Finally, at the far back where the bar was, the Conductor was the only one sitting at one of stools. He had a few empty pints surrounding him and he was holding another one. He looked out of sorts.

" _Oh...that's what's wrong._ " Hat Kid has seen this before...only at home. Every so often, _he_ would come home with a bottle in hand, all dizzy and out of sorts. Yet in those times, they were actually peaceful. He still didn't remember her name, but he never lashed out or harmed her. She even got to take care of him since _she_ was always "too busy."

"Every time I approached him, darling, he would get steamed up before I could get a sentence in. He even threw one of those pints at me to get me to go away." He put his flipper on her shoulder. "So please...be careful. If he lashes out at you, call me over."

Hat Kid looked up at him, then patted his flipper. "I'll be okay. Thanks." Adjusting her hat and taking a deep breath, she approached.

The Moon Penguin bartender looked up from cleaning his pint glass and said to the Conductor, "Look, Conductor. You've been coming here for a couple days now. I think you've had enough."

The Conductor slammed his pint down and shouted, "I've hud enough when ah say I've hud enough!" His accent seemed a bit thicker and his speech was a bit slurred. Just as Hat Kid suspected: he's drunk. She carefully tugged his creased train conductor's coat tail to get his attention.

He looked down at her and seemed a bit surprised. "Oh, lassie! Ah thought ye left fer good."

"No um...what are you doing here?"

"Well...me train's in ruins and all the owls are heading to this here club…*hic*" He looked down at his partially full pint and shrugged. "Well." He took a large gulp at his drink, finishing it off, and set down the now empty pint. "Figured thare was no point in bein' thirsty while ahm on the moon. 'Nother round, boys!"

Hat Kid now seemed concerned. How long has he been like this? She now understood DJ Grooves' concern. If he kept going, his condition could worsen. She carefully pushed two of the empty pints aside and gently took the Conductor's hand.

"I think you've had enough for one night, Conductor. Maybe we should get you home." He then roughly pulled away from her grip and looked down at her angrily.

"And what makes ye think a'm wantin' ta go anywhere wi' ya?! Ye were th' troublemaker from th' start!" Hat Kid stepped back a little, her hand hovering close to her trusty umbrella. Seeing this, the Conductor stared at her for a few moments...then sighed, burying his head in his winged-hands.

"Just...leave me be, lass." Hat Kid's hand lowered as she looked at him, troubled. She looked to DJ Grooves, who had the same expression. Conductor must really be distraught over the loss of his train if he's refusing to even leave the bar.

Hat Kid hummed in thought, looking down. Recalling her experience from past times, she knew he had to be smart and careful in this process. Her eyes lit up with an idea. It was going to be very risky on her end, but it may just help.

"Um, well...I was coming to tell you your train is fixed." Conductor sat up, his seemingly non-existent eyes widening. DJ Grooves looked confused. As far as he heard, the birds were still searching for those 2 missing cars that flew off the track miles away. Not to mention all the toxic waste and lava they needed to clean out of the rest.

The Conductor turned to Hat Kid. "I-...is that true, lassie?"

"Yep. Why don't we take you home there? You can rest for the night." She held out her hand with a small comforting smile. Just for now, she'll push away her disappointment against him and take care of him. Maybe after he sobers out, they can finally talk. Surely he didn't mean to kill her or anything like that.

"Oh...well...I suppose if me lovely train is waiting fer me…" He carefully took her hand and climbed down from the stool. He wobbled and had a hard time walking straight, but Hat Kid supported him. She even motioned DJ Grooves to come help. He seemed hesitant, but decided to help. While Hat Kid stayed on the Conductor's right side, DJ Grooves gave him support on the left.

Conductor looked up at DJ Grooves with a scowl and said, "DJ Peck Neck…*hic* what are ye doin' 'ere, ye nae-good, dirty...peck neck?"

"I'm just here to help you get back to uh...your train, darling."

Conductor tsked and looked away from him. "Whatever...just don't touch me train or ah'll…" He hiccuped once more and let out a small, slightly silly chuckle. Seems he lost his own train of thought in that sentence.

DJ Grooves looked to Hat Kid and whispered, "So uh darling...where are we taking him since his train is still…?"

Hat Kid whispered back, "Do you trust me?"

DJ Grooves tilted his head. Odd question to answer his question. But he nodded. Of course he would trust his diva. She was willing to help the same bird...like being that tried to kill her before.

Hat Kid pulled out one of her Time Pieces and looked to the two. DJ Grooves will probably freak out, but at least the Conductor is too dazed. She took a deep breath as the Time Piece began to glow.

"Hold on tightly." She held out the Time Piece to DJ Grooves, who questionably took hold of one side of it while holding onto the Conductor. Hat Kid did the same as the Time Piece vibrated, then shot the three straight up the sky and to her ship.

DJ Grooves' overall reaction was basically screaming. Conductor started laughing while going, "Wheeeee!" Yep, he was definitely out of it. Hat Kid smiled and giggle a little, seeing their reactions. Once they were up in space and slowing down to reach the ship, DJ Grooves looked down with wide eyes. He then looked up at Hat Kid's ship.

"D-Darling...you live _here_?" Hat Kid nodded as she pushed open the hatch and landed inside with the other two bird directors. After she closed the hatch, she pocketed the Time Piece. DJ Grooves looked around with awe. Despite his time on the moon and with space-genre movie directing, he's never been in an _actual_ alien spaceship before. It looked...cozy.

The Conductor was looking around, confused. He then looked over to one of Hat Kid's relics, which was the small train model going through a landscape. He stumbled over to it and watched the train go. His facial features furrowed as he looked confused.

"...How did me train git so small?" Hat Kid couldn't help but giggle to that. DJ Grooves, meanwhile, continued looking around the ship until he finally looked down at Hat Kid.

"This whole time, this was your home?"

Hat Kid's smile faded. "Um...not exactly. My old home was…" Flashes of fire and explosions rang through her thoughts. She could still hear a few screams. She took a breath, however, and looked back up at DJ Grooves.

"It wasn't fitting to stay there anymore. So I've been traveling to find a new place where everyone else went."

"All on your own?" Hat Kid quietly nodded. She then looked back to the Conductor, who was quietly watching his train. After a few minutes, he looked to Hat Kid and asked again, "Lass, why is me train so small?"

"Because that's just a toy train. Your real train still needs repairs." The Conductor blinked, processing this new information. He then finally growled and stomped up to her.

"Ye said you were taking me to me train! Ah can't believe ah trusted a peck neck such as-" But he stopped, then covered his mouth. He looked sick. Hat Kid's eyes widened, already knowing what he was about to do.

She ran to the side, grabbed a small trash can, and quickly shoved it to the Conductor. With it in hand, Conductor emptied his stomach contents, vomiting into the trash can. In the sickly mix was a few seeds and a _lot_ of alcohol.

Once he was done and on his knees, he just stared down at the mess and quietly said, "Seeds…" Hat Kid sighed and helped him to his feet.

"C'mon…let's get you to bed." With DJ Grooves' help, they made their way to Hat Kid's room. As they walked through the automated doors and down the hallway, Hat Kid thought over sleeping arrangements. He can't go home in his condition...wherever his home was. So maybe he can rest in her bed...just for tonight, and she could rest on her pillow fortress. For DJ Grooves, it would depend if he wanted to stay or not.

Once they arrived in Hat Kid's room, Hat Kid alone guided the Conductor to her bed. DJ Grooves looked around her room, especially in awe by the pillow fortress masterpiece she had on the left side.

With Conductor tucked in her bed, Hat Kid rubbed his head while looking to DJ Grooves. "DJ? Cooking Cat should be in the kitchen. Could you ask her to bring a glass of water and maybe something light to eat for Conductor?"

"O-oh. Of course, darling. I'll be back in a flash." He then skated out of the room and to the kitchen.

Hat Kid was about to follow behind to make sure everything else was taken care of until she was grabbed by her wrist. She looked back to the Conductor with a slightly annoyed expression. But that expression quickly vanished when she heard...sniffling.

The Conductor spoke in a broken voice while firmly holding her wrist as he said, "Lassie...ahm so sorry. Ye weren't the selfish one... _I_ was. Ahm the monster here. Ah hurt ye...ah wanted to kill ye...ah did so many bad things. ...Ahm so so sorry…" He finally then began to softly cry as a few tears were seen rolling through his feathers.

Hat Kid was quietly shocked. It may be the alcohol talking...but she did recall one saying she heard before: "a drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts." She never thought he felt any remorse. Not after all he did. But just hearing him say all that…

Hat Kid looked down, then quietly went back to rubbing his head. "It's...it's okay, Conductor."

"'s not okay! I-"

"Shh." She gently gave him a hug as she wrapped her arms over his shoulders. "It's really okay, Conductor. I...I forgive you." Hearing those words, the Conductor hugged her back and let out a couple more quiet sobs.

Hat Kid looked down in thought. She never thought forgiving him would happen. Not for a long time at least. But given all the pain she has gotten from many people in the past...he was probably the first to ever apologize for all his wrongdoings. She still wasn't sure if he truly meant the apology or it was just because he was still slightly drunk, but it was the thought that counted, she guessed.

Soon, the Conductor's sobs quieted and he laid limp. Seems he finally gave in to sleep. With a small smile, Hat Kid tucked him back in and rubbed his head.

Right on cue, DJ Grooves and Cooking Cat come into the room. Just before they could say anything, Hat Kid put her finger to her mouth, quietly shushing them. They quietly nodded and all three exited the room.

They all moved to the kitchen, where Cooking Cat had pierogies served to the two. Hat Kid looked up while eating and asked, "So, DJ...are you going to stay here for the night or…?"

"I feel like I should, darling. The Conductor and I may not be on best terms, but I should still care for his well-being."

Hat Kid quietly nodded. "So uh...I don't exactly have a guest room. Maybe you can rest on the burger cushion and use one of my extra blankets?"

"That sounds fine, darling. But what about you since the Conductor took up your bed?"

"I'll just sleep on my pillow fortress."

Cooking Cat finished washing the dishes and sat down with the two, now joining on the conversation. "I can hardly believe that a professional movie director would actually put himself under so much alcohol like that."

"Professional is kind of stretching it…" DJ Grooves and Cooking Cat laughed a little on that statement.

"Well, when your friend wakes up, I've got chicken soup all set up in the fridge. You just need to heat up and that should help sort him out."

"Thanks, Cookie."

Once dinner was finished, DJ Grooves laid back on the burger cushion with an extra blanket provided and fell asleep in no time. Cooking Cat was allowed to use a few pillows from Hat Kid's pillow fortress as a sort of miniature bed for her. Finally, Hat Kid took off her hat, changed into her pajamas, and resided on top of the pillow fortress, blanket in hand. With a yawn, she also fell asleep easily.

* * *

The Conductor woke up, holding his head. It was like someone smashed his skull in with a mallet. Slowly sitting up, he rubbed his seemingly non-existent eyes and looked around. He was immediately confused. This wasn't his room...unless someone took all his trophies, changed the wallpaper, and...added a mountain of pillows?

He tried to recall what happened last. He got a call from his da, went to the bar DJ Grooves had on set...then everything else is fuzzy. Did he overdrink? That may explain the headache.

He then looked over to the mount of pillows and his eyes widened with shock and mild worry. The Hat lass. She was here. Memories of her tear-stained face and angered expressions flashed through his mind. He swallowed nervously and slowly climbed out of bed. He shouldn't be here. Not around her.

His stomach twisted up from lack of food and his legs were still weak, so he involuntarily fell to his knees and hugged his middle. And what was worse was Hat Kid heard him. She mumbled and sat up, rubbing her eyes. Her toffee hair strands were a bit tangled as she ran her fingers through them. When she looked to her bed, her eyes blinked more open and she looked around for the Conductor. Soon, both gazes locked onto each other.

Hat Kid climbed down from her pillow fortress and approached him. He sat up a bit and scooted back until his back hit the dresser. Hat Kid stopped, now confused. Did he not remember her?

"L-listen here, lass. Ye better tell me where I am right now or..." He somehow couldn't collect his thoughts properly and finish his sentence. At least his slur was gone and his accent wasn't as thick. He still looked out of sorts, however.

"You're in my ship. I brought you here to get some proper rest." She decided to be direct.

"Ship…? What are ye babbling on about?!" Hat Kid sighed. Looks like it was time for a small explanation. She explained to him how the space ship they were on was her one transportation to get to the planet she needed to get to. She then told him how she found him drunk in DJ Grooves' bar. She left out a couple details on the whole scenario, just to save some embarrassment.

Conductor looked down in thought. He really did overdo it. And the lass...actually helped him? But why? He questioned this outloud and her only response was, "Because I didn't want you to hurt yourself like that…"

He clenched his winged-fists and argued, "But seriously, why? After all I did to ye, you shouldn't even be _talking_ to me! You should hate me, hurt me, o-or even INSULT me!"

"But I don't want to do that…"

"Well ye should, you peck neck...a monster doesn't deserve sympathy after all." He looked away, tears threatening to return. But he was strong. He won't let her see him cry. He already shedded his tears alone.

He then flinched when he felt a gentle hand lightly lay on top of his own. "Conductor." He finally looked at her. Hat Kid's turquoise eyes showed no malice or ill-will to him, but rather...concern and sympathy.

"It's true that you were a bit of a jerk before...and it hurt when you double-crossed me just so you could get one trophy back. But, I never said you were a monster. I never _thought_ of you as a monster. I think…" Her thoughts then reflected back to Snatcher and his past.

"I think you were just going through some tough times...and you weren't thinking straight. At least...that's what I want to believe. True or not, I was told that holding grudges wouldn't help anyone or even myself." She then showed a small smile as she scooted closer. "So just know…"

"I forgive you."

She then hugged him once more. He flinched and almost had the urge to push her away. And yet...those three words lingered. All negative memories and thoughts seem to slowly disappear as he looked down at the little lass. She...forgives him? After all the pain he caused...she actually forgives him?

It was like a weight lifted off his shoulders as he carefully hugged her back, trying to control his now shaky breathing. "Th...thank you, lassie." She smiled warmly and patted his back, slowly un-hugging.

"Now. Let's see if Cooking Cat made breakfast." Helping the Conductor to his feet, the two exited the room and headed to the kitchen. The Conductor looked around, mildly amazed with the lass' living quarters. With his trophies here, it would be a perfect place to stay for him.

"Oh, nice place you've got here, lass. Not bad. Not bad at all." He smiled a little while looking around. Hat Kid smiled back and replied, "Thank you."

Conductor's smile disappeared when they entered the kitchen. Immediately, his gaze was locked onto DJ Grooves, helping Cooking Cat. A growl found its way into his voice as he said, "What is HE doing here?"

Hat Kid frowned and tugged his arm. "He was the one that told me you were in trouble in the first place. He even helped me take care of you."

Conductor's expression softened a little, looking down at Hat Kid. Did that afro-wearing peck neck really help him? Well, it wasn't like he _needed_ the help.

DJ Grooves turned around, seeing the Conductor. The two stared at each other for a solid minute, until DJ Grooves looked to Hat Kid and said, "Hey darling? Why don't you heat up that soup for Conductor here while I have a chat with him?"

"Okay!" She went to the fridge and pulled out the prepared chicken noodle soup. Meanwhile, Conductor and DJ Grooves stepped outside the kitchen and went into the hallway that leads to the Machine Room.

Hat Kid looked around, then to Cooking Cat. "So...where do I heat this up?"

"Well, you have a microwave right there, sweetie." She pointed to the microwave, but Hat Kid shook her head.

"That's where all the bad food gets punished. This looks like good food." Cooking Cat seemed a bit confused by that statement...but then again, maybe it was an alien thing.

"Well, what about your stove? We could set it to low temperature and let it heat on its own." Hat Kid nodded. That should work well. Cooking Cat set the baking time to 100 ºF and set the bowl of soup inside. Hat Kid then stood on her tiptoes, trying to see what she was making.

Cooking Cat smiled at her and asked, "You wanna help?" Hat Kid nodded with a bright smile. The two then started working together, mainly with Cookie's help, to make some sort of plain cake batter breakfast item she calls "pancakes."

Meanwhile, DJ Grooves' had his flippers crossed as the two argued it out in the Machine Room hallway.

"I don't see why ye had to tell the lass what I was doing. It was only a few drinks."

"More like many drinks." Conductor looked to the side.

"Look, it's not a big deal. So I had more than I could handle, but I'll be fine. I'll be back on set after breakfast and—"

"Absolutely not, darling!" Conductor flinched. DJ Grooves was raising his voice now. It was like the argument they had after the ceremony.

DJ Grooves continued, "Over the years we've fought, Conductor, I've come to know you. And this isn't the first time you insisted you were 'fine' when you're clearly not! I just want to know why you're so dismissive about everything that happens to you."

Conductor was looking away until he clenched his winged-hand in mild anger. "Ye want to know so badly? Well, what does it matter to ye?! You didn't have to worry about your family heirloom being destroyed because of a stupid mistake on your end. You didn't have to get a call from yer family, telling you how much you have disappointed them! AND YOU DIDN'T BECOME A MONSTER!"

DJ Grooves' eyes were wide in mild shock. Over the past week, he's been going through that much? Conductor sighed and turned away. "This conversation is over. Let's just eat breakfast and move on." But DJ Grooves firmly grabbed his wrist.

Just before Conductor could do or say anything rash, DJ Grooves then said, "For what I said that day...I am sorry." Conductor froze and looked at him with mild shock. DJ continued, "I was just upset that you hurt the little hat girl just as you are upset with yourself in doing so. I also had no idea you were going through a lot of trouble. ...At least your family is kind enough to call you every now and then."

DJ Grooves looked down and removed his star shades. His eyes were a bit small, but Conductor could easily see the emotion in them. "From all the losses I had, it only kept proving what they've told me before: I'm throwing my life away. 'You should've been an astronomer like your father and your grandfather.' Even after winning Award 42, I never got a congratulations from them. Not even a 'hello' or 'how are you doing.'"

Conductor's expression softened as DJ Grooves put back on his shades. "But I choose to never stop trying because I love my job. Even if I fail in the end, I enjoy making movies for the world to see. And that hat-wearing darling is a good part of the reason. She enjoyed being in our movies...mainly your murder mystery more than Train Rush. Yet she didn't really decide the winner in the competition between us based on her efforts. I could tell. So...for her sake and your own...don't shut out those that want to help you."

Conductor, for once in all his conversations/arguments with DJ Grooves, was speechless. He had no snarky comeback. No insults to throw. No argument against him. He only sighed and lowered his head. DJ Grooves gently patted his back and said, "That's all I wanted to say. ...Why don't we have some breakfast, darling? Cooking Cat's making pancakes."

Conductor quietly nodded as the two exited and went to the kitchen. And just in time as well. Cooking Cat and Hat Kid were setting the table with plates of pancakes and a bowl of chicken noodle soup for the Conductor.

Hat Kid never had a sort of get-together dinner before in her life. Normally, she'd get what she could from the pantries and eat in her room while her parents did the same. Seeing everyone talking and laughing together felt wonderful. Even Conductor was progressively feeling better and much like his old self again.

Maybe she should invite friends over more often.

.

.

.

Oh boy was this long. Well, thought it would be wise to take a detour from our stop to Alpine Skyline to bring you back to our troubled Conductor. We may also take care of one missing Time Piece back in Mafia Town, scooter-style. Meanwhile, hope this chapter turned out well. Basically inspired by a few Conductor voice lines.


	24. Cheating the Cheater

"Beep beep boop."

Hat Kid pushed a few buttons on her monitor and checked the world map. After clearing Dead Bird Studio, Mafia Town, and Subcon Forest, she had to double check she didn't miss any Time Pieces anywhere else. She was still missing about 13 of them. Surely they were still somewhere on the planet, right?

She then blinked in surprise when she found out she didn't clear Mafia Town at all. There was still one Time Piece left there. How could she have missed one?

Quickly grabbing her hat and umbrella, she made her way to the hatch.

"Ehhhh ba ba ba ba ba ba! Where do ya think yer going, lass?" Hat Kid stopped as the Conductor stepped out of the kitchen and climbed down the ladder.

"To...Mafia Town?"

"And how do ye expect me and DJ Grooves to get home?"

That's right. They don't have the umbrella to safely bring them down. And after previous events, leaving a Time Piece with at least the Conductor seemed like a bad idea.

"Well uh, I could get you guys down. Won't really be easy with just one umbrella, but…"

"Not to worry, darling." Both Hat Kid and the Conductor looked to DJ Grooves as he climbed down to the main hall floor.

"Ta-dah~!" He then pulled out from behind his back...two umbrellas that look like Hat Kid's umbrella. Only they were different colors. One was dark yellow and the other was red. They still had the same star pattern though.

"I had my Moon Penguins make these limited edition umbrellas from your movies, darling. The audience just loves merchandise. Of course, blue was bland to some customers, so new colors were needed."

Hat Kid didn't recall signing a contract stating she could allow her key item to be replicated into merchandise, but she decided to let it slide. What mattered was maybe the two directors could use them to get to Dead Bird Studio safely.

"You expect me to use a wee umbrella to get me down from _space_?" The Conductor looked over the dark yellow umbrella he was given, clearly not trusting the quality of it.

"The little hat darling seems to handle doing so just fine with the one she has." Hat Kid was quietly hoping that they had the same durability as her own umbrella.

"You guys sure you'll be okay?"

DJ Grooves merely smiled and tousled her hair, making her hat tilt off a bit. "Of course, darling. We're tough birds. You just worry about taking care of yourself if you're still looking for those Time Pieces of yours."

Hat Kid chuckled and lightly nudged his flipper off. She just finally got her hair fixed properly after Subcon Forest. She didn't need it messy again. DJ Grooves merely smiled and went to the hatch, carefully opening. Then hopped down and had the umbrella ready.

The Conductor looked down from where he jumped and took a shaky breath. He never had to do his own stunts like this before. Pretending to get shot is one thing. Literally jumping from space and parachuting down with just a little umbrella is another.

Hat Kid patted his back and said, "We can do it together." The Conductor wanted to refuse...but maybe for _her_ reassurance, he'll let it slide.

"Alright, lassie. If it makes ye comfortable." Hat Kid giggled and stood right next to him. Then holding his winged-hand, they both jumped down.

Hat Kid grew to enjoy these free-falls. The wind wiping in her hair, seeing the stars and planet around her up close, and feeling the coolness of space. To her species, they could survive being outside in space, at least for a short while.

By the looks of the Conductor, he seemed to be handling it fine after the initial jump. Hat Kid waited till they were close to breaking the atmosphere and shouted to him, "Okay! Open the umbrella!"

They both opened the umbrellas, causing the Conductor to yelp as it caught the wind and slowed their descent. He seemed surprised that a wee umbrella could support him. Hat Kid smiled reassuringly at him.

"Good luck landing, Conductor. I'll see you later!" She then shifted herself towards Mafia town as the Conductor continued floating down to safety, where DJ Grooves will be waiting.

Hat Kid landed on the docks of Mafia Town. Now, where was that Time Piece located?

"Did you see Mafia with rocket?" Hat Kid hid behind a stack of two boxes and quietly listened to the two Mafioso men walking her way and talking.

"He may be fastest man alive! No Mafia could probably beat him."

"I hear Mafia has good reward if Mafia were to beat him."

"Mafia crazy. No way to beat him."

Hat Kid hummed in thought. " _A good reward, eh?_ " Once the two Mafioso were gone, she began her search. She checked the observatory, but no luck. Around the docks? Nope. The beach? No. The Plaza? Nothing.

Hat Kid sighed and leaned against the brick wall as she stood at the docks where the cargo ships were. She practically looked all around Mafia Town and still no sign of this Mafioso with a rocket.

"Having trouble finding something, young one?"

Hat Kid's eyes blinked open as she looked to her right, seeing the Badge Seller. It's been a while since she got to actually talk to him.

"Yeah, actually. I'm trying to find this...Mafioso with a rocket. He may have the Time Piece I need here."

"I have heard of him. Some say he hangs around the part of the beach no Mafioso goes to."

"Why don't they go there?"

"They believe that's where the Mustached girl resides. And some are a little more afraid of her after the Mafia Base incident." Hat Kid blinked and now became a bit nervous herself. She hasn't encountered Mustache Girl since the Mafia Base episode and now there's a chance she'll see her there?

"If you are to head there, you may need this." He then held out a badge for her. It was purple and with a golden scooter on it. The Scooter badge. Hat Kid's eyes lit up.

"It would be easier if you were to find a special hat, but with this scooter badge, it is more possible than just running with your own two feet."

Hat Kid looked up to him. "How much?"

"500 pons."

That was asking quite a lot, but then again, Hat Kid has been saving just for this occasion. She pulled out 5 bags, each filled with 100 pons, and handed them right to him. He handed her the badge in exchange and Hat Kid immediately attached it to her Sprint Hat.

"Thanks a lot, Badge Seller!" With a smile, she equipped the Sprint Hat and made her scooter appear. She then made her way to Mustache Girl's hideout.

"Good luck, young one."

With the scooter, Hat Kid quickly arrived at the hideout. No sign of MG, but there was a Mafioso sitting on a rocket just nearby it. He looked like he was either waiting for competitors or someone to gloat to.

Hat Kid made her scooter disappear and approached the Mafioso. He looked down at her and smiled in a sort of smug manner.

"Haha! Rockets are fast! And if Mafia on rocket, Mafia is fast! Fastest man alive! Little child want to race fastest man alive?"

Hat Kid firmly nodded. She then looked surprised when he pulled out a Time Piece from the inside pocket of his suit. He held it up over her head and said, "Mafia stole Time Piece from HQ. If you win, Mafia give it to you."

Hat Kid was determined to get that Time Piece. She replied, "Race me, chicken!"

Taken back a little by the insult, he pocketed it and shouted, "Then it is on! Mafia not sure Mafia survive this, but at least Mafia die as fastest man alive!" A bit of a grim outlook, but Hat Kid wasn't leaving without that Time Piece.

He pocketed it once more and readied his rocket. "Ready?"

Hat Kid got her scooter ready. "Set."

He then took off without saying "go." Hat Kid shouted, "Hey," and immediately sped after him. She zipped through the sand, trying to catch up to the Mafioso. She then yelped and shuddered as she went up a flight of stairs.

As she was about to fly off the patio, she quickly rode along the rail and made a jump for the other side, across the river. When she landed safely, she jumped down to the next patio, past the TNT barrels from the time she got her second Time Piece and rode along the bridge. She was catching up!

There was a finish line set up at the docks. The two were coming up close, but Hat Kid revved up her engine and sped up, crossing it first. She did a small cheer and skidded to a stop. It was close to a photo finish, but she made it.

The Mafioso's rocket sputtered and stopped as the Mafioso landed. His eyes were wide with shock.

"Mafia lost? But...Mafia thought he was fastest man alive."

"Looks like a new fast one is in town now," Hat Kid said with a smirk. Her smirk then disappeared when she put on a serious expression. "Now, for my reward please."

The Mafioso then scoffed. "Little hat child must have cheated! She does not deserve Time Piece. Mafia was going to keep it anyway. Everything Mafia gets always belongs to Mafia."

Hat Kid couldn't believe it. They had a deal and he's backing out on it, claiming she was cheating. He was the one on the rocket! Hat Kid had the urge to knock some sense into him with her trusty umbrella. ...Maybe even just knock him into the water.

But no, she had to be smarter. She hummed in thought, then a mischievous smirk appeared. "Alright then. One more race. No cheating this time." She made her scooter disappear.

"If I win, I get the Time Piece fair and square. If you win, you keep it." A couple close by Mafioso looked at each other with confusion. How could a little child beat a Mafioso on a rocket with just her little feet? Not even the Mafioso themselves could do it.

The Mafioso on the rocket chuckled and said, "It is on then. A race back to the beach." He turned around and Hat Kid positioned herself beside him.

"Oh, real quick. You'll actually be much faster if you weren't having that Time Piece weighing you down. I surely wouldn't win if you didn't have it on hand."

He blinked then said, "Child is right. Less weight means faster Mafia." He then pulled out the Time Piece and set it down on the docks.

"Ready, set, go," Hat Kid shouted this time. The Mafioso took off...but Hat Kid remained where she was.

With a proud chuckle, she simply waltzed over to the Time Piece and said, "I'll take you." She picked it up and then used it to fly back up to her ship. By the time the Mafioso finished the race, he'll realize that he just handed her the reward.

If he was going to be sneaky, then so was she. Finders keepers, after all.

* * *

Hat Kid sighed. 28 Time Pieces on hand and no luck in finding the rest. Her computer can't pick up any more signatures. If it did, it seemed scattered or out of place. Where else can she look?

Cooking Cat quietly exited the kitchen and went to her side, holding out a plate of chocolate chip cookies to her. "What's got you so flustered, dearie?"

Hat Kid smiled a little, seeing the cookies. She quietly took one and simply replied, "I don't know where I can find the rest of the Time Pieces. I've cleared Subcon Forest, Dead Bird Studio, and Mafia Town for sure. What place am I missing?"

As Hat Kid munched on the cookie, Cooking Cat hummed in thought. "Y'know, this might be a bit of a stretch, but there is a sort of hidden place in the mountains."

Hat Kid perked up. "Hidden place?"

"So I have heard, dear. I've heard that there were ancients that journeyed through the mountains and made a settlement there. But no one knows how to get there. When others climbed the mountain, they only found a dead end and a few ancient statues."

"Hm...sounds like my best shot though. That's the only place I could guess the rest of the Time Pieces are. Where do I find this mountain?"

"I believe it is just past that Dead Bird Studio area, more north."

Hat Kid smiled and looked at her coordinates. "Then that's where I'm heading next."

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This took longer than it needed to, but glad I got it up now. So, an update for the future. In case you are all wondering why the updates will become even slower, it'll be because I'll be traveling. Visiting family _and_ going someplace far off where I'll be doing some summer school. It's a lot more fun than it sounds. ;) So if I haven't been updating too much, it'll either be because of the future busy schedule or the not-so-great wifi in the area. But I will keep trying to update. This story will be finished and I have another one set in the same game. Thanks for being patient with me at least. It is greatly appreciated. You are all amazing! :)


	25. An Ancient Land

Landing on the misty mountain base with her umbrella open, Hat Kid looked up the large peak. As far as Cooking Cat told her, this was the mountain that had the access way to the mysterious land. Tilting her hat down, she began scaling up the mountain.

She went across a wooden bridge and saw a gate with a bell to the side. Believing the bell to be a sort of doorbell for it, she used her Hookshot and rang it three times. Just as she hoped, the gate opened for her on its own.

As she headed up the spiraling stone stairwell, the mountain rumbled around her. She would stop each time it happened, doing her best not to look down or to the side to show the sea of clouds around her. It would remind her how high up she was and how even with an umbrella, she wouldn't know where she would fall to. Keeping calm, she continued to the top.

Upon reaching it, she found a sort of dead end. 4 skull statues stood around the top's base as well as one large statue with horns and a corkscrew base. 3 spiral levers were also around the base. Surely hitting the levers could activate something, right?

Hat Kid wound up her umbrella and gave a couple good whacks to the first one. The statue with horns then twisted and locked. She tried the other two levers and they did the same. The thunderous clouds ahead seemed to have caused more thunder and lightning though. Once the statue was screwed into the ground, a sort of _long_ banner zip line appeared and went through the mildly stormy clouds that surrounded the area.

Hat Kid tried to see past the line, but clouds blocked her view. Curious, she decided to use her Hookshot on the zip-line. She then let out a small scream as it then zipped her through. She held tight to her umbrella and shut her eyes as she went through the thunderous clouds. It was practically a miracle a lightning bolt didn't strike her on the way.

Then the clouds cleared and Hat Kid slowly opened her eyes. What she saw left her in complete awe.

At the end of the line was a large mountain with little cottages and a bright green environment setting of trees and grass. But that wasn't all. To her left, she saw the biggest bird cage Hat Kid could possibly ever know. Going clockwise, she saw a very large white bell in the far distance, a large old-looking windmill, and some sort of lava tower. Actually, it looks more like a wedding cake but made of lava. Weird.

All these places and all sitting under a beautiful blue sky with some stars and aurora lights showing, all upon a sea of clouds. Hat Kid has never seen those before on all the planets she visited. They were more beautiful than she imagined.

Soon, she reached the end of the banner zipline and jumped right off. Straightening her hat, she looked around this new setting.

"Oooh, you're new here, huh?" Hat Kid looked to her right. A sort of small figure peeked out from behind a large bush. Their face faintly looked like a Subconite's, only with two yellow eyes instead of one. Their outfit was different as well. It sort of looked like Egyptian clothing, with tan and light brown cloak, scarf and sphinx-like hat.

"Um...yes?"

"We haven't had visitors in a long time, but it's great that you're here! Welcome to Alpine Skyline." Hat Kid took another look around the setting the young nomad seemed to have gestured. The view is still wonderful. Plus, she got a better look at what's on the main island. Lots of village houses with leaf-coated rooftops and more stone statues with horns. There were a few posts in the direction of the different islands around.

"Hey uh, did you happen to see any hourglasses around here," Hat Kid asked the nomad. The nomad hummed in thought.

"I think I have. Not sure where they went exactly though."

Hat Kid hummed in thought. She wasn't sure if it was good or bad that they haven't found any Time Pieces. Good because then she would know where they were and could possibly convince the nomads to give them to her. Bad because she would possibly need to fight them for the Time Pieces. She's already done enough fighting for one adventure.

"But I just thought of something." Hat Kid looked up, snapping out of her thoughts and looking to the nomad. The nomad continued, "Have you noticed those bright flashing lights in the sky?"

Hat Kid looked to the different islands. She spotted those too, but she dismissed the idea of them being anything significant. Maybe they were beacons for low-flying spaceships. Despite this thought, she turned to the nomad and nodded.

"They started appearing after those weird hourglasses fell from the sky. I still wonder what they could be…"

A lightbulb went off in Hat Kid's mind and she was suddenly thankful the nomad brought that idea to her attention. Those lights aren't beacons. They've gotta be Time Pieces! That must be where they all landed.

"In any case, I really wish they wouldn't be so bright. They're blinding!"

"Yeah, um, do you know how to get to those islands where those lights are?"

"Oh yeah. Just up the cliffside a little, there's a horn you can blow that can summon the zip-lines to the islands."

"Perfect, thanks!" Hat Kid wasted no time. She began running around the corner to find her way up until she saw a low platform on the cliffside. She climbed up and continued looking around until she stopped, startled by the stranger she was now facing.

A very large, anthropomorphic, large-horned, brown-furred goat stood in her way. He wore all sorts of colorful clothes as well. The main garment looked like patches of red and yellow cloth stitched together to make a cloak. For accessories, he wore a blue scarf and a brown belt with a bell attached to the side. His glowing white eyes locked onto Hat Kid and she stood up, a bit nervous by this newcomer.

"U-um...hi?"

The goat said nothing but nodded in response. Then continued their quiet pacing, as if contemplating. Hat Kid stepped back a bit and watched curiously.

"We don't know much about the goats up here." Hat Kid jolted, startled by the nomad beside her that was observing. He looked like the nomad from earlier, only with a darker orange and tan outfit. The nomad continued, "But we try to give them a wide berth. If you get in their way, they tend to be a bit pushy."

"Pushy how?" She was pondering if it meant Mafia Town pushy. Tripping her up, pranking her with the patty-cake punch, etc.

"Pushy like...a simple push. They wouldn't try to hurt you though if you're not going to try and hurt them." Oh. The exact opposite of what Hat Kid was thinking.

Curious, she tested this theory. She ran up to the goat and stood directly in front of him this time. She smiled and waved.

The goat narrowed his eyes, a bit annoyed, and lightly shoved her to the side. Just as the nomad said: no harm. Just a simple push. Hat Kid decided to respect his boundaries and keep looking for the horn. Luckily, where he shoved her, she spotted a horn a few high steps up.

Climbing up, she noticed another nomad, standing to the side and seeming to enjoy the view. This nomad wore a different outfit. Instead of a sphinx hat accessory, it looked more like a hood. The colors were white and silver. Just as Hat Kid was about to blow the horn, a question came to mind for Hat Kid that she needed to say out-loud to the nomad.

"How come you guys don't blow the horns?"

"Why don't we blow the horns ourselves? Well, up this high, the air is really thin! It's hard for us to take deep enough breaths. It doesn't seem to bother you, though." Well, that does seem accurate. The air did seem a bit thinner, but it didn't seem to make a large difference to Hat Kid.

Knowing this, she turned to the large horn that sat beside her and the nomad. She walked up to it, took a deep breath, and blew into it. It let out a low-pitched horn sound that echoed through the peak.

While catching her breath, Hat Kid's eyes widened as, in response to the horn, different colored ziplines appeared and spread out to the various regions. A green one to the large bell, a blue one to the old-looking windmill, a red one to the tower of lava, a yellow-orange one to the biggest bird cage, and a multi-colored one that lead to an unknown land.

Hat Kid smiled. She had her paths. Now it was time to get her last Time Pieces.

...Something about saying that made her feel hesitant. Did she...really want to?

She shook her head, dismissing that thought. Of course she does. It was the whole point of this entire adventure.

...Then again, there's no rush. Deciding to take her time a bit, she headed to one of the ziplines, ready to get started on exploring this ancient land.

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Sorry this took so long and it's pretty short. Rome's kept me pretty busy, as I noted last chapter, but I did say I'd try to get some in during the time. Didn't want to keep you guys constantly waiting. Thanks for being patient and supporting as well. :)


	26. The Dweller Zone

"Now where to start…"

Hat Kid looked amongst her choices. Which one should she start with? Should she go at random? Counter-clockwise or vice versa? The one that looks the coolest?

"Perhaps _I_ could make a suggestion?"

Hat Kid jolted and turned around. Facing the cottage behind her, she saw the Badge Seller standing close by. He's _here_ too? She questioned this outloud and he simply responded, "Quite. I am capable of traveling to many places on this planet."

"Huh...okay. Well uh, what do you suggest then?"

"I suggest you pick the one that intrigues you the most. It would make it faster and easier to find what you're looking for as you feel more of a need to search in said place."

The Badge Seller went to her side and knelt down to her level. He then pointed to the various spots with the sparkling lights on top, including the giant bell which didn't have a sparkling light. He first pointed to the tower of lava.

"That there is the Lava Cake. Consider it as a...wedding cake made of lava and for giants."

"Weird."

He then pointed to the old-looking windmill. "The name is as it appears: the Old Windmill. The complex mechanic that mainly powers most of this village."

Hat Kid hummed in thought. That may explain why it's so big. But that's going to be a hassle to climb.

Next was the giant bell. "That's the Twilight Bell. They say when it is rung, it can have you appear in the realm of Dwellers."

Interesting. But she didn't see a sparkling light there. ...Could it be in the realm Badge Seller told?

Finally, he pointed to the large bird cage. "And that is the Birdhouse. Most birds you have encountered usually reside there. I have been told that they like shiny objects as well."

Given the sparkling light, there is a solid chance that some bird took her Time Piece there. The birds here were jerks, as far as Hat Kid encountered. That's not gonna be fun getting back.

"So. What will you do now?" The Badge Seller stood to his full height and looked down to Hat Kid. She looked up to him, then looked back to the different areas. She hummed, thinking.

" _After Mafia Town, I don't think I'm up for navigating through lava once more. I'm not really up for dealing with the birds either._ "

She finally looked at the bell and her curiosity grew. Could it really take her to the realm of Dwellers? Maybe she could put her new Dweller Mask to use there.

She turned to the Badge Seller and said, "I'll check the bell first."

"You may need this then." He held out a new badge for her. It had 3 bars on it, from red to yellow to blue. "It's the Fast Hatter Badge. If you wear this, then whatever ability you use on any hat can have a quick cooldown time so you can use it almost immediately."

Oddly specific, much like the umbrella badge he gave her. It's almost like his inventory is made for her. That or one of the places in his travels had people with hats that had abilities. But that's ridiculous. Tim was the one that taught her the ancient art of mystic hat making. No one else is known to be capable of this art except herself.

Shaking away the train of thought, she looked up to him and asked, "How much?"

"250 pons."

Compared to the scooter, that was pretty cheap. She nodded with a small smile and pulled out 3 pouches. Two large ones had 100 pons while one small one had 50. After paying him, she equipped the badge with a warm smile. This could come in handy.

"Thank you." With a nod, she headed to the zip-line that lead to the Twilight Bell. As she headed off, she glanced back to see the Badge Seller waving to her. She waved back then grappled onto the green zip-line.

She then ended up halfway there on a few rocky platforms and transparent green platforms. Just as she hoped, her Dweller Mask was going to come in use. She equipped it, its design representing a fox, and began navigating.

Once she reached the continuation of the zip-line, she headed straight for the Twilight Bell. When she hopped down and looked around, her eyes widened with surprise.

"Safe travels, I assume?" The Badge Seller was standing right off to the side. Hat Kid was baffled.

"But how...you were…" She was pointing back where she came from and looking back to him, beyond confused.

"You could say I have my shortcuts." Hat Kid blinked and decided to drop the subject. If she continued thinking and questioning, her head may explode.

He then continued, "I also wanted to point out something you may miss." He pointed to her far right. Sitting atop a tree branch was a blue time rift. How _did_ she miss that?

"Wow...uh...thanks." She climbed up and reached her hand out to touch the rift. And just before she was transported into it while time froze, she faintly heard the Badge Seller's voice once more.

"Know this: the red does not exist in both planes."

Wait, what did that mean? Hat Kid blinked her eyes open, finding herself back in the underwater-like rift area. There were many solid white and blue platforms that had the large goats marching back and forth between them. There were also transparent green and solid galaxy-colored platforms just ahead and above.

Adjusting her mask, she headed forward. She kept out of the way of the goats, knowing they will shove her right off the small platforms they marched along. There were a couple of transparent green platforms in front of her as well, but her Dweller Mask aided in getting her across. So far, so good.

She then reached the next level of the rift and found something new. She propped her mask up to get a proper look at this new obstacle. It was a Dweller wrapped around a bell like the ones on the green bells she rang. Only this one was red and had a sort of red bubble around it. The galaxy platforms behind it practically vanish altogether when in its bubble. Outside it, they reappear.

Hat Kid then recalled what the Badge Seller told her before entering. "' _The red does not exist in both planes.' ...So this thing erases both the green and galaxy-like platforms that exist in different planes?_ "

Testing this, Hat Kid used her Dweller Mask. In her green bubble, nothing came into being. The red bubble practically made it non-existent. She'll have to be quick then if she's going to get across.

Once it went to her left, she leaped across and quickly climbed up, almost losing her footing as it hovered back in her area, making the platform disappear at her feet. That obstacle was done. Now she had one more: a galaxy-colored wall. On the other side should be a platform, but she was standing on a galaxy-colored platform.

She stepped back and took a running start. She jumped at the wall, used her mask, and went right through. She immediately switched off the mask just before she landed on the galaxy-colored platform.

With a proud smile, she hopped up a couple regular platforms and grabbed the Time Piece. It flashed in her hands and teleported her out of the rift.

Upon arriving the Twilight Bell once more, she pocketed the Time Rift and looked to where the Badge Seller was. But to her surprise, he was gone. Odd...but no time to dwell on it.

Hat Kid headed up to the bell and looked up in mild awe. The inside of it looked like a starry night sky and it was humongous.

A nearby nomad, dressed in blue Egyptian-like clothing, shouted while looking up as well, "Look at that thing! If only I could reach it and ring it."

Hat Kid hummed and looked to her trusty umbrella. Curious, she hook-shot herself to the large rope and swung herself back and forth. She rang it three times then hopped off.

Suddenly, a green aura similar to the one she emits from her Dwellers Mask appeared. Then, it swirled around her, making her gasp and cover her eyes.

When the wind current cleared, Hat Kid dared to open her eyes. A slow soft gasp escaped when she found herself someplace new. A black abyss surrounded this new open area around her that had many transparent green platforms and ancient white regular platforms. Glowing white flowers bloomed in many of the areas and water flowed clear through the place. Looking up, the bell now looked like a galaxy or aura lights on the inside.

Hat Kid was starting to think she was someplace she shouldn't be in. But then she looked up at the highest platform in this abyss and her eyes lit up. A familiar bright glow was coming from there. A Time Piece!

How it ended up here was beyond her knowledge, but at the moment, it didn't matter. That Time Piece will soon be back in her possession once she reaches the top. Getting her boots wet, she ran across the flowing river and towards the direction of the Time Piece.

Past a galaxy wall with her dweller mask, she found herself facing different paths. The path ahead of her had a door with a huge lock, so the key must be either to the left or right. Hitting the dweller bell in front of her, she made the galaxy walls to her left and right vanish and took the left path first.

Just like the time rift, there were red dwellers that made parts of any alternate planed path vanish. She dodged those as she navigated through and up regular platforms as well. The red dwellers even floated along galaxy-colored bridges, making it difficult for Hat Kid to just walk straight through. But after quite a few jumps, she managed to grab the key and hop back down to the door.

Hitting the dweller bell once more, she hopped onto the path in front of her and unlocked the door. But before she entered, she glanced back to the path on her right. She decided to check the area out before entering the next room.

Ahead of her after hopping from different color-planed platform to the next was a _long_ green path. Her Dweller mask was only going to get her so far as well as the green bell next to the start of the path. But willing to see what's on the other side, she whacked the bell and snapped in her scooter. Riding across as far as she could, she hopped off and used her mask to get her up the rest of the way.

At the end of the path, there was a horn, much like the ones she blew to open up the zip-lines. She blew into it and a zip-line, close to where the Time Piece was, appeared. That may come in handy at some point. Satisfied, she hit the dweller bell beside her and scootered her way back to the door.

Upon entering, she stood in a small room with a gate in front of her. Strangely, there was a slightly visible green wall phasing over it. Hat Kid turned on her Dweller Mask and the wall appeared, making the gate bars go up and stay on top of the wall. Handy. She took a running start and turned off the mask, slipping past the iron bars.

Ahead of her was another iron gate, this time to another locked door. Only instead, there was a galaxy-colored wall keeping the bars up. She turned on her mask and the wall disappeared, bringing the bars to a lower level. Hopping down to a lower platform, there was another galaxy-colored platform keeping the bars up. Using the same technique, the bars lowered once more. It was now lowered far enough so the top was open. Now all that's left is to figure out where the key is.

She looked around for another room for some kind of key. She then faintly spotted a red dweller on the other side of a gate with a green wall. Having the wall reappear and disappear, she entered the room and looked ahead. A key past another gate! The only problem is that this wall was shorter. No way she could run through and grab the key. Then her eyes locked onto the red dweller bell.

Curious, she hit it with her umbrella, which to her surprise was possible. It extended its red aura out to half of the green wall. Gears started turning in Hat Kid's mind. If the red cannot exist in both planes, but there's still some green wall that can lift the bars...then maybe she could grab the key while running through the red field of the area. Trying this idea out, she was immediately successful. Key in hand, she patted herself on the back for being a genius.

She hit the red bell once more to open back up her way out and headed to the door, unlocking it. On the other side, she was greeted by a small flowing stream and a _large_ green platform. Luckily, there were 3 dweller bells, one each on a small circular regular platform. She would have to be careful on which ones to ring, however, based on their positions. If she did them all at once, a large chunk of the platform would be canceled out. She carefully navigated through and hookshot her way up to the zip-line she unlocked.

Off the zip-line, the Time Piece was now within reach. Just up a green alternate platform staircase, where a dweller bell stood at the bottom of it. Hat Kid rang it and ran up the staircase. There was also now a green box surrounding the Time Piece, but Hat Kid knew how to reach it. Standing over it with a prideful smile, she turned on her Dweller Mask and grabbed it. The satisfaction of holding the glowing item was immense.

"Now that I know where the rest are, I can finish what I started." She then looked around. "But...how am I gonna get out of here?"

Then, as if the Time Piece heard her question, it started to glow and pull her off the platform and to the Twilight Bell. Hat Kid hung onto it as it flew into the bell. Pulling out her umbrella, she decided to see if whacking the bell 3 times will bring her back. She swung her umbrella and whacked hard three times. The world around her spun in many colors as she found herself floating down.

In a blink of an eye, she was back in reality, just underneath the Twilight Bell. With a satisfied smile, she pocketed the Time Piece and headed back to the zip-line, ready to get the next one.

As she zipped off, a sort of dark purple flower with a shady aura then bloomed at the very end of the zip-line. Two more popped up as well close by. The wind blew some of its seeds off, much like a dandelion's seeds.

A couple of those seeds flew to a cottage nearby the Twilight Bell, where one of the goats was standing in the sunlight peacefully. It was a beautiful day and he was taking great advantage of it and the gentle lullaby of the wind. That is until he felt something go into his nose when he took a deep breath. He snorted and shuddered, rubbing it. That was odd and unpleasant.

Suddenly...this day didn't feel so peaceful anymore.

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Okay! Took longer than I thought I should have. But y'know, summer comes and things come up that's more than just my Rome Trip. Personal matters even. But I didn't want to leave this unfinished, so here we go! Back in action! :)


	27. Windmills and CATastrophe

Saw announcement for DLC. Very very hyped for it! I will most likely do stories on what is new when it comes out, so keep an eye out after the release date. Anyways, onto the continuing story.

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Hat Kid hummed, tapping her chin in thought. 3 choices left and she wasn't sure where to start. Badge Seller doesn't seem to be around either to point her the way. However, she thought back to what he stated.

" _Pick the one that intrigues you the most. It would make it faster and easier to find what you're looking for as you feel more of a need to search in said place._ "

"The one that intrigues me the most…" Hat Kid looked at all her options. The Lava Cake looked extremely hot, so maybe she should save that for last. The Birdhouse still bugged her. She has had way too many bird troubles in the past and that's something she still isn't looking forward to. So all that is left is the Old Windmill. Large, seemingly dull, but seems the simplest Time Piece to get next.

She hopped down to the blue zip-line and took off towards the giant windmill. As she landed at the Windy Passage, she blinked in confusion. What were these weird plants all doing below the smaller windmill? Those purple roots...something told Hat Kid she should avoid touching them.

Using her hookshot, she went over the strange plants and landed on the ledge atop. Oddly, there were still more of these strange plants now sitting outside one of the goat's home. Hat Kid walked beside the large goat and asked, "Do you know what's up with these weird plants?"

The goat just gazed out at the sea of clouds and lightly shook his head no. Seemed he had no intention of talking to her, but he was as clueless as Hat Kid.

Hat Kid hummed in thought while looking at the ominous plants. She then shrugged. They didn't seem to be doing anything bad for now, so they shouldn't bother her. While saying goodbye to the goat, she continued on her path to the Old Windmill.

However, she seemed to have taken a wrong turn as she reached a different path along a paw-printed yellow zip-line. Something didn't feel right about this path.

A nomad nearby then spotted her and shouted, "Hey, kid!" Hat Kid looked over as the little nomad went up to her. He didn't look like he was in good shape. Scratches all over that tore his clothes. What could've caused this?

"I'd be careful going through here. This is one of the Lazy Paw Gang's villages."

"Lazy Paw Gang?"

"They're these nasty cats that like to steal from unsuspecting visitors. You can hardly see them until they steal something from you."

Hat Kid blinked, then looked to the village. That bad feeling from earlier now made sense. But looking a little further in, she spotted a Time Rift! If there's a Time Rift, there's a Time Piece. She needed to go in.

She looked at the nomad and said, "I'll be careful." She then hopped along the tightrope and entered.

"Good luck, kid."

Hat Kid headed in the direction of the Time Rift. But she stiffened and slowed down when she heard rustling and a meow. She pulled out her umbrella and propped it up, ready to whack any ninja cat that dares to approach her.

Then, she was shoved from behind with a yelp. As she got back up, she noticed her hat was gone. She got only a second to look at the one that shoved her, but it was surely one of the Lazy Paw Gang members. Its orange tail and ears that were wrapped around a red headband confirmed her suspicion.

Then she realized: They stole her hat! That cat was running off into a back alley with it, chuckling.

"Hey!" Hat Kid chased after them. But then she seemed to stop in mid-air. Around the corner, a bright flash of light was seen.

Hat Kid gasped and turned the corner. Just as she suspected, a blue Time Rift stood in its place. Not wasting time, she quickly put her hand on the rift and entered.

Hat Kid found herself in the familiar underwater-like rift with white platforms. She faintly spotted the Lazy Paw Gang member head to a large platform close by. The platform oddly had small fortresses made out of the white platforms she normally tread on. She hopped her way up to them, ready to corner them. But what she didn't expect was them to have backup.

Once Hat Kid reached the platform, 3 other Lazy Paw Gang members stood in her way. Two of them lunged before Hat Kid could realize they were going to attack. They pinned her down by pushing her onto her back and holding her arms to the ground.

At the way they held her, there was no way she could use her umbrella to attack. All she could do was kick and struggle.

Then, both members looked forward as one member was walking up to the three. The difference between this member and the others was they had an eyepatch.

"Let me go, you jerks!" The Lazy Paw Gang eyepatched-member looked to the two that were subduing Hat Kid and held her paw up with a small nod. The two cats stepped back, allowing Hat Kid to stand back up. She pulled out her umbrella and pointed it at the leader.

"Where is my hat? Why are you all here? ...And why are you cats?"

The leader smirked and gently nudged the umbrella down, having Hat Kid lower it. They then spoke in a female, Brooklyn-accented voice as she said, "We should be asking you similar questions, kid. No one comes to the Lazy Paw Gang's hideout and leaves in one piece. Or at least with something on hand."

A hideout? In a time rift? "But...why is your hideout in a Time Rift? Don't you know how dangerous it is to even reside in here for too long?"

"Why would it be? We could stash all we earn in this massive space and get away without a trace."

"You don't understand. Time Rifts are tears in the fabric of time that need to be repaired. Otherwise, it could tear apart reality itself."

"We have been here for weeks now with no issues. I don't see any reason to relocate." She then circles her as she continued, "Now if you still want to leave with all your pons on hand, I suggest going back the way you came."

As she walked back in front of her, she was now holding a bag of 100 pons in hand. Hat Kid gasped and patted her pockets. How did she do that without her knowing?

Hat Kid gave an angry look and held her umbrella back up. "Not without my stuff. And not without fixing this rift."

The leader tossed the bag of pons to one of her lackeys and leaned down to her. "The only way you're going to get out of this alive is if you leave now quietly or fight."

Hat Kid took a sort of battle stance. She may not have her hat, but that's not gonna diminish her fighting spirit. After all, if she can beat a soul-stealing, magic shadow monster without her hat, she can beat anyone.

"So be it." The leader turned her back and put her paw up, signaling two of her members to attack. The two cats then camouflage themselves and began sneaking up to Hat Kid.

Hat Kid blinked in shock. How are they able to turn invisible like that? She then yelped as she was pushed from behind, another 100 pons out of her pocket as well. She quickly turned around, hitting the member with her umbrella, knocking the stolen pons back into her hand.

She then heard a hiss behind her and she swung her umbrella in said direction. One of the members meow in pain and go behind their leader. After hitting the second one before, Hat Kid could faintly see a blurry figure going across the environment. She readied herself and swung, knocking the cat back.

Hat Kid smirked to the leader, who growled. "Get her!" Multiple meows were heard as about 4 more members rushed at her, turning invisible.

Hat Kid quickly jumped up, then targetted herself at the 4. She hit one after the other. Then, while they were stunned, she knocked them back with her umbrella. The leader hissed and got on all fours, circling her like a lion ready to pounce.

Hat Kid followed her movements, umbrella up and ready like a baseball bat. The LPG leader then pounced with a hiss. Hat Kid swung and knocked her into the air. As she fell, Hat Kid gave another solid whack and knocked her into one of the sheds, crashing into the stolen loot of past victims.

The other members gasped and a couple went inside to get their leader. Hat Kid approached as well. The two members helped the leader to her feet and Hat Kid pointed her umbrella at her. "My hat, please."

The leader stared her down for a solid minute, then showed an amused smile. She looked to one of the members and nodded. The member went to the back of the shed and grabbed Hat Kid's hat. Once it was in the leader's possession, she handed it to Hat Kid. Hat Kid was mildly surprised, but smiled and put it on her head.

"Y'know, you're alright, kid. You've officially captured my attention." She then held out her paw in a way of asking to shake hands. "Name's Callie."

Hat Kid smiled and shook her hand. "So...do you believe me now that it would be best to leave?"

"You only just got your stuff back, kid. Let's not push–" Then a startled meow was heard. Callie and Hat Kid ran out of the shed to see the realm around them glitching. The underwater atmosphere started becoming distorted as it glitched to purple and back. The platforms underneath them started to crack and crumble as well, falling into the abyss.

The Lazy Paw Gang gathered around their leader, meowing in a terrified manner. Callie looked down at Hat Kid, starting to believe what this little girl said is true. "Is this…?"

"The rift's starting to become more distorted. We gotta get out of here."

One of the members tried to head back the way they came, but the platform gave out in front of them, keeping them from going back to the start.

Hat Kid goes in front of the gang and shouts, "I know another way out! Follow me!" She then hopped to above the sheds and wall-jumped up to higher level platforms. Callie nodded to her gang and they all followed, helping one another in case the platform gave out from underneath them.

Hat Kid spotted the Time Piece just ahead and down the ramp. She put on her Sprint Hat and dashed to the Time Piece, diving for it and grabbing it. It glowed brightly in her hand and she quickly ran back to the LPG.

"Grab onto me, quick!" A few of the members clung onto her while others held onto them. With a bright flash of light, they all disappeared from the now-sealing realm.

Safely, they all appeared back in the village. Some of the members cheered, glad they were safe. Callie sighed with relief and smiled down to Hat Kid, who pocketed the Time Piece.

"Thanks, kid. I think we would've lost all our 9 lives back there if it weren't for your quick thinking."

"No problem. Just...try not to steal and be mean, okay?"

She chuckled and said, "No promises. Now, I'm willing to be you got more work to do, so you should head off before one of my members pickpockets you again."

Hat Kid smirked, but nodded and headed back to the zip-line. As she took off, a couple more of those strange purple plants bloomed.

Callie looked over at one of the strange plants and hummed in thought as she poked it with her claw. A little bit of pollen poofed in her face, causing her to sneeze the pollen out of her system, then rub her nose. "This could be a problem…"

* * *

Hat Kid arrived at the Old Windmill, looking up at the very tall structure. She could still faintly see the bright glow coming from the window at the very top.

"I'd better be careful not to sneeze or I might blow it down." With a tiny chuckle to that joke, she headed inside and made her way up. Riding along the gears, going from platform to platform, and even using the cliffs outside nearby it, she made her way to the top.

It wasn't necessarily an exciting climb, but it was definitely a long one. She was close to slipping and falling a couple times, but thankfully her umbrella helped her slow her short falls.

Once she reached the top, she climbed atop a couple crates and picked up her Time Piece.

"Huh. That wasn't too bad." And in one go, she got 2 Time Pieces and saved a village. Not bad. With a proud smile, she opened the windmill window and jumped out, using her umbrella to slow her fall. She floated to the zip-line and hooked onto it, zipping back to the main village.

As she did, she waved to the goat she passed by when going up the smaller windmill. He gave her a small wave back and watched her fly off.

Below the windmill, more of those purple plants bloomed, letting more pollen fly through the air. The goat took a deep breath and a couple pollen go into his nose. He let out a small sneeze and twitched. He then held his head. Suddenly he felt lightheaded.

Actually...he just didn't feel _right_.


	28. A Storm Approaches

Only 4 Time Pieces left. Then she'll have enough to go home. It was exciting...but also a little nerve-wracking? Why was she still so hesitant about finishing this?

No. She has to finish this.

Looking between the Lava Cake and the Birdhouse, she decided to go with the Birdhouse next. She was still pretty tired from the Old Windmill climb and hot lava wasn't going to make her condition better.

As she made her way to the zip-line, she stopped. Just sitting right by the post was one of those strange purple plants in bloom. It seemed to pulse and puff out a little pollen every minute or so. It had a strange aroma to it. It was terrible, but it was tolerably mesmerizing. The scent was making Hat Kid's nose twitch and having her cough a little. She decided to leave it be for now and make a mental note to find some weed killer when she gets back to her ship.

As the zip-line took her through the metal bars of the world's biggest birdcage, she took a look around as she landed in a large pile of twigs, feathers, and straw. As expected, there are a lot of large nests and even a couple large bird-houses that were the size of actual houses.

She then looked to her left, spotting the familiar glow of a Time Piece. But what made her now nervous in getting it was there was a gigantic bird sleeping next to the cliffside of it. Hat Kid looked down at her umbrella, then back up to the large bird.

"I don't think I'm gonna be able to whack this one away…"

She's gonna have to be smart in getting that Time Piece. But first, she'll need a path to it. The zip-line to the nearest platform where the Time Piece was wasn't there. Surely there was a horn around here she could use.

No way of knowing for sure if she just stood there. She headed forward, hopping over nests and knocking any nasty birds back. What did catch her by surprise though was the eggs.

As she was crossing one of the nest, an egg popped out of the brush and started ticking and shaking, vibrating towards her. Hat Kid, hopped off the nest, going behind a hay roll. It then exploded, as its yolk went flying everywhere. Gross...and deadly. Best to avoid at all costs.

Getting around to the middle of the nests and houses, she spotted the horn sitting atop the tallest birdhouse. Hat Kid sighed looking up. "Of course it's all the way up there." She rolled up her sleeves and got hopping.

After Dodging Elvis-haired birds and exploding eggs while whacking away any mean regular birds, she finally made it to the top and blew into the horn. A short zip-line opened up to her, but it headed to the cliffside that was across from the one with the Time Piece. Which means she will have to get past the bird to get it.

She zipped over to the cliffside and climbed up. The sleeping giant bird rolled over, laying upside down. Hat Kid looked up to her Time Piece, then down to the bird. Maybe she can try to air-dash over it and reach the cliff-side.

She stepped back and took a running start. With a long leap, she reached out for the cliff-side but fell short. With a yelp, she landed atop the bird. It tweeted, stirring a little. Hat Kid froze, internally panicking. What will it do when it wakes up? She didn't want to imagine or find out.

Trying to find a way to put it back to sleep, she carefully rubbed its feathery side while humming a sort of lullaby. She was quietly happy no one was around that could hear her since she was normally very shy with her singing. She's been made fun of for it and she never liked to make it a hobby. But if she didn't want to end up being bird food or have something worse happen, it was worth a shot.

The bird cooed and slowly fell back asleep. With an exhale of relief, Hat Kid carefully tiptoed across and hopped off, climbing up the cliff-side. Once she grabbed it, it chimed and floated around. Hat Kid waved her hands frantically and pushed it down, then patted it. It only emitted tiny jingles now and remained still in her arms. The last thing Hat Kid needed was a gigantic bird waking up to attack her.

Using the Time Piece, she quietly floated back to the zip-line out of the birdcage and headed back to the village. As she left, the Badge Seller appeared, stepping out from the inside of one of the closest birdhouses. He looked to a large patch of those purple plants that started to bloom. As it pollen spread out to a few goats standing outside the cage, the three goats sneezed and twitched violently.

"It's almost time." His glitchy voice sounded concerned as he then walked to the back of the birdhouse and vanished.

Hat Kid felt a small chill go down her spine. It was as if something foreboding was going to happen. She shook her head. It was probably nothing. The only Time Piece she needed left here, as far as she could see, was the one at the Lava Cake. May as well get it done now while she still had time before getting back to her ship. Looking at the horizon, she saw the sky getting a little darker. Though, she wasn't sure if it was a storm or the sun setting.

Either way, Cooking Cat will want her back on the ship for dinner. Without wasting time, she hopped down to the zip-line leading to the Lava Cake. As she zipped towards the gigantic 5-layered cake made of lava, she got worried the zip-line would snap. It had some fire damage on it and it looked unstable. Thankfully, she was just light enough to keep it from snapping.

Once she landed, she immediately took her hat off and began fanning herself with it. It's bad enough it's big, but lava of all things? She could feel the intense heat already just standing close to it. Though, she could see why it seems like a lava cake. The pillars sticking out on its bases kinda look like unlit candles and the bases look like actual circular layers of cake. It even had a bow at the bottom of it.

Heading to a cannon close by, she hopped in and was shot inside, standing on a pillar on top of the first base. She was pretty nervous as she looked up. How the lava wasn't dripping down inside was beyond Hat Kid's knowledge. She decided to not stick around and see if it will though. She began hopping platform to platform with her sprint hat on. If she wore anything else, she may get heat stroke before reaching the second layer.

Luckily, there weren't too many enemies on her journey through. She shouldn't be surprised though. What does surprise her was there were birds that were on fire that were attacking her when she came near. Thankfully, her umbrella is fire-proof. Whacking them away didn't seem too hard.

Layer by layer, the obstacles seemed the same, but more difficult. There was one section where there was a circling mechanism that shot fire. Why it was there was beyond Hat Kid. Nonetheless, Hat Kid kept getting through and hopping into each cannon that leads to the next layer.

Once she reached the top layer, she spotted the Time Piece, sitting on a pedestal around a barred cage that had only one opening on one side. Hat Kid circled around until she reached that opening and grabbed the Time Piece. She brightly smiled, holding it close.

"Only two left." Upon saying that, her smile began to fade. She really is almost done. But now the true question was...did she _want_ to be done?

Despite the challenges that came, she actually had some fun here and there when searching for her Time Pieces. Even the people she met weren't too bad. Sure some were jerks at times...but they were somewhat nice at some points.

Then an idea occurred to her. Just because she was planning to leave doesn't mean she didn't have to leave _forever_. Maybe she could visit once she found her home. ...Then again, it could be farther away than she currently assumes. What if it took years to come back?

Hat Kid hummed and looked down at her Time Piece, hearing it jingle gently and feeling it warmly glow in her hands. She should think about her future plans more after she gets all the Time Pieces. Using the Time Piece, she carefully flies out from the Lava Cake and back to the main village.

As she flew off, the last patch of those strange purple plants bloomed. Their pollen flew to another goat, who accidentally inhaled it. He sneezed and twitched. Then a growl was heard as his eyes started turning red.

Hat Kid almost stumbled when she landed. For some strange reason, the wind started blowing harder. As she held onto her hat, she looked in the direction of the wind. Her eyes widened and she let out a gasp. Stormy clouds started coming in and some sort of purple wind mixed with the pollen of those weird plants started coming in the direction of the village.

Hat Kid frantically ran to one of the nomad's houses and headed inside. She'll have to apologize to the owner for intruding later, but for now, she needed shelter from the oncoming storm.

The wind got louder until she felt the force of it hit the outside of the house. Then everything went dark purple as thunder boomed.


	29. The Illness

Hat Kid gasped, seeing a bright flash of white for a split moment. Once her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the house, she ran to the window and looked outside at the storm that came in.

Dark purple clouds, strong wind, and thunder and lightning was all she could see. If this storm didn't let up, the village could very well be destroyed! But what kind of storm was this? It wasn't like any other storm she's seen before.

When lightning flashed, Hat Kid squinted her eyes. " _Wait a minute. The wind…_ " She spotted something in it. Upon watching the wind closely, she spotted some sort of spiky, purple-gas emitting pollen blowing in the wind. Where has she seen those?

Then a memory came to mind. " _Those weird purple plants that have been blooming!_ " "I knew they were trouble," she said to herself. Now that she knew the source, she's gotta try to stop it.

Bracing herself, she opens the door. The wind blew hard and whipped her face. She coughed, already smelling the horrible scent of the same plant from before. It made her feel a little woozy at first, but she shook her head. Now's not the time to go passing out.

Adjusting her top hat, she looked for the possible locations of the dangerous plants. Then she heard screaming to her right. It was a nomad, running from...one of the goats? No, something didn't seem right with them. Their eyes were red and they looked really violent.

As the nomad ran, pushing a barrel behind him to block the goat's path, he ran into Hat Kid. Almost literally. The nomad looked up at Hat Kid fearfully, "Please, help! I-I don't know what's wrong with him, but he's trying to hurt me!"

Hat Kid looked up at the goat, who smashed the barrel with his own hooves and growled. She's faced a lot of strong foes before, but those goats look like they can knock her right off the cliffside in one smack. Plus, as far as she's seen, they're not supposed to be this violent.

Hat Kid started running, holding the nomad's hand. She then jumped onto a spring platform and the two landed on a leafy rooftop, out of the goat's range.

"Why are they being jerks?" Hat Kid looked to the frightened nomad.

"I-I don't know. This storm came in a-and it's not just him! All the goats are getting angry. They're fighting, growling, destroying! I don't know what's come over them!"

Hat Kid hummed, looking around. Then one of those weird plant's pollen seeds blew past her face. Could it be…?

"What about those strange plants?"

"...S-strange plants?"

"Those weird purple flowers all around. What about those?"

"I-I don't know. All I know is a visitor brought 3 of its seeds and planted it around the area. Then they grew and spread their seeds all around. B-but they haven't caused us problems so far."

"I think they're causing problems now...maybe something in them is what is making the goats act angry," she said quietly to herself. She then turned to the nomad. "Where were those seeds planted?"

"U-um, around where the Old Windmill is, on the alternate route to the Birdhouse, and towards the Lava Cake."

"Then that's where I'm going." After adjusting her hat, she grabbed the nomad's hand and hopped down once the goat was gone. She then opened the door and nudged the nomad in. "Stay inside and safe."

The nomad nodded and closed the door. Hat Kid looked towards the Old Windmill. Just over on the cliffside on the right, she could faintly see a light purple tornado swirling in place. That must be where it is. Hat Kid jumped down to the zip-line and made her way there.

The small windmill she rode to get up the ledge now seemed more hazardous. Those strange purple plants have bloomed and they seemed to be pulsing all below the windmill. Hat Kid took a breath and hook-shot onto the windmill. She also tucked her legs in, not wanting the spiky pollen to hit her.

Soon as she reached the ledge, she received an unhappy welcome. It was another one of the goats. His eyes were red and he growled viciously.

"U-uh...hi there…" She nervously smiled and waved. He then charged at her, causing her to yelp and jump to the rooftop. He then crashed head-first into the house, putting a hole in it. Hat Kid didn't hesitate to keep going. But once she reached the zip-line where it would take her to the Old Windmill, she gasped.

It was coated in the strange plants' pollen and giving off its toxic fumes in her path. No way she can ride it without possibly suffocating or getting scratched up. She looked around, hoping for another path.

Then, she noticed to her right that the swirling light tornado was the other way. The ledges far ahead had large purple roots much like those strange plants below her. That's gotta be where it really is.

She noticed a few abnormally large pollen pieces floating her way and she quickly got to action. Once they got close, she used her hookshot to latch onto their stems and swing to the ledges. She looked ahead, seeing a really large purple flower surrounded by the pollinated plants. That's gotta be one of the main plants. She began running towards it, being careful of her footing due to the roots.

Then, something large blew out of the flower and landed beside her. One of those abnormally large pollen pieces. It then exploded, knocking Hat Kid back with a yelp and cough. Upon exploding, it let out its obnoxious fumes. Whether that plant is sentient or not, it must not want to get plucked.

But Hat Kid was not going to fall that easily. She put on her Sprint Hat and her Scooter badge. With a snap of her fingers, her scooter appears and she takes off. More of those large pollen pieces landed around her, exploding behind her. And what makes it worse was a couple goats were there as well, trying to attack her. Hat Kid zig-zagged and dodged the best she could.

Once she got close, she hopped off her scooter and onto the pedestal the flower was blooming on. With a few strong whacks, she unrooted the flower and knocked it right off. The flower then shriveled up and bursted out a large gust of purple wind. Hat Kid shielded her eyes and nose, then looked up once it passed. The roots started disappearing and the pollen-invested flowers have shriveled up and disappeared too.

That's one down, two to go. As she ran back the way she came, she stopped. The goats that attacked her...they were lying down on the ground. They looked weak and twitched a little. Hat Kid ran to one of them, checking them over. His eyes didn't look red, but he looked tired and weak. He let out a small groan, looking up to Hat Kid.

So those flowers really were affecting them. It was like some sort of disease went into their system. Now that the flower was gone though, the wind was dying down in the area. It'll help, but it could take time to recover.

Hat Kid gently rubbed his head. "Don't worry, big guy. I'll get the rest. You just take it easy." More determined than ever to stop this storm, Hat Kid stood back up and ran off back to the zip-line that leads to the main village.

Heading to the Birdhouse zip-line next, she yelped as lightning crashed beside her. _Way_ to close to hitting her. The storm must be getting worse. Time to hurry.

Past the zip-line, she headed down to the tightrope path. She swung across then jumped from tightrope to the next. But when she jumped to the next tightrope, lightning crashed and destroyed it. She gasped and screamed as she free-fell for a short moment. She then landed on a convenient tree branch below her, causing her to let out a shaky exhale of relief.

Continuing forward, she climbed up the steep cliff sides, avoided lightning best as she could, and continued down the alternate path. Swinging across the abnormally large pollen, she landed on another ledge with large purple roots. Up ahead was another large purple flower surrounded by the spiky pollen plants.

As she ran forward, she was then stopped by a few rotting roots sprouting out of the ground around her. Her eyes widened and she jumped out of its range as large, tree trunk sized roots shot out and wrapped around itself.

Now the plant was trying to trap her? Is it really _alive_? She'd better be cautious from here on. Equipping her scooter once more, she began zipping through fast. Many more large roots continued shooting out of the ground, trying to encase her. On top of that, more dangerous goats were coming her way and exploding pollen was coming from the plant.

When one batch of roots came up from behind, one of the roots wrapped around the back wheel of her scooter, making her fly off and faceplant. She quickly got back up though, ignoring the pain in her left knee from skidding along the rocky platform. She jumped up to the ledge with the flower on its pedestal and knocked it off with her umbrella.

Strong wind blew for a moment once more and it, along with its pollinated flowers, disappeared. The goats collapsed once more, weak from the sudden change. One more left. Not wasting time, Hat Kid ran to the Lava Cake zip-line.

The routine was the same as the last, only a little less lightning and more lava. She followed the large pollen and swung her way to the purple-rooted platforms. Ahead was the final flower...and a whole lot more that came with it. Now there were rows of pollinated flowers, shooting roots, exploding pollen, and violent goats.

Hat Kid's eyes were wide and now she appeared real hesitant to step into this danger zone. But she knew she had to. If she didn't take down the final flower, the storm will never disappear. What if it spreads it pollen beyond Alpine Skyline? What if it gets to all the places she visited? Dead Bird Studio, Subcon Forest, and Mafia Town. They won't stand a chance.

She can't let that happen. Tilting her hat down, she braced herself and ran in. She decided to go by foot to hop over the pollinated flowers while dodging the large roots that plan to wrap her up. Once she reached the village, she climbed to the rooftops to avoid the goats and many more pollinated flowers. She had to be quick though from the exploding pollen that landed close by.

Hat Kid took a leap to the pedestalled plant and landed right in front of it. A strong wind was already picking up and Hat Kid was having a hard time seeing through it. Plus the fumes...they were so toxic. She coughed, but got close, umbrella ready and gripped tightly.

Her vision started fading to black, but with a battle cry, she gave the flower a few good hard hits. It then popped off its pedestal and vanished, rotting away. The pollinated flowers from all over the Skyline then started wilting and disappearing. As they did, the storm began to die down and disappear. The purple clouds began to vanish while the wind became more gentle and less invested with the spiky pollen.

As the storm began to vanish, Hat Kid coughed, taking in the returning fresh air. Once her vision returned and she was able to breathe, she headed back to the main village to check on the nomads.

What she didn't expect coming in was a crowd gathering close to the zip-line she was coming from. A large group of the goats was there and they no longer looked violent and a couple nomads were beside them.

Hat Kid landed in the village and was greeted by one of the nomads. He looked around and asked, "Is it...over? The air is clear again!"

He then looked to Hat Kid. "And the goats seemed to have come to their senses again! I don't really understand it, but I assume we have you to thank." Hat Kid smiled warmly.

Then the nomad said, "We found this in a cluster of those flowers after they wilted away. You were pretty insistent on going after the others, so I guess it belongs to you?" He then held out a Time Piece.

Hat Kid's eyes sparkled and she nodded. Taking it, she replied, "Thank you." The goats seemed to be celebrating and thanking her as they stomped their hooves in sync.

"Well thank _you_ for helping us." Hat Kid smiled brightly and held up the Time Piece, having the nomads cheer. Only one left now and her journey will finally come to an end.

* * *

Cooking Cat grabbed a sort of satchel and headed to the door of Hat Kid's ship. "I'm gonna need more supplies if I am to cook dinner tonight. I just hope the little one will be here once I'm back." She opened up the door and hopped down to Mafia Town.

As she exited and the door was closing behind her, a hand reached up and pushed the door open. The intruder climbed inside and pocketed a Time Piece. Her golden-orange eyes looked around as a smirk showed under her mustache.

"Alright, I'm in! I made it. I infiltrated that kid's spaceship without the alarms going off." But the one security system she didn't count on was Rumbi. He beeped, shouting in its little voice, "INTRUDER! INTRUDER!"

Mustache Girl scoffed the little Rumbi and kicked him away. "Shut up, you piece of garbage!" Rumbi whined and quietly went back to vacuuming.

MG then looked around. "I bet that kid collected more Time Pieces than I have...now where does she keep them?"

She walked around the main room, then her eyes locked onto the large safe. With a mischievous smirk, she climbed up the stairs to it.

"Jackpot! This must be where she stores them all." Turning the dials, she opened the safe. Just as she hoped, there was a large pile of Time Pieces safely sitting inside.

She rubbed her hands together and said, "Time to mess with time a little." She then took a few and started smashing them. She continued smashing and breaking until she spotted a bright flash of light surrounding the planet. It then spread to her and everything went white.

* * *

Hat Kid blinked with a gasp. Wait, how did she get back on her ship? What was that flash of light? Why was her safe open?

She ran up to the safe and looked inside. Her heart dropped in fear. All her Time Pieces were gone! All that remained were chipped-off pieces.

And if everything didn't seem like they already turned for the worst, she then looked out the window. A soft slow gasp of pure horror came out as she slowly climbed down the ladder and walked to the window.

The once, blue-ocean, beautiful planet she came to know for the past few weeks. It was gone. All that was there now was...a planet in ruin. The ocean was lava, there were volcanoes in every part of it except one section. In this section, she could see a large stone castle with two paths leading into it and a stone mustache for decoration.

"Oh no…"

.

.

.

Coming up to the finale of the story, let's go! I also got the DLC and plan to try it out so I can think of how the possible short stories will go. But for now, tune in next time to see how Hat Kid's planning to put an end to this madness.


	30. Fighting For the World

"Th-this...this can't be real…"

Hat Kid rubbed her eyes and took a second look. To her dismay, it was true. The planet she explored and came to know was now in ruin.

And looking at the new castle's decorations, Hat Kid had a pretty good hunch on who's behind it. She clenched her fist. MG has gone too far this time. She has to go confront her.

Taking a breath, clutching her umbrella close, she opened the door and fell down to the planet. Just as she floated down to the starting platform, she could already feel the heat of the now lava-filled ocean hitting her. It felt like opening a stove after cooking something and just sitting in front of it. But she kept her cool and landed below.

What shocked her though after she landed was what she saw next. EVERYONE she ever met on her journey is all here! All lined up to the castle. But why?

Looking next to her, she saw a large golden statue of Mustache Girl. In front of it was a sort of ticket dispensing machine that said, "Take One." Hat Kid plucked out a ticket. The number said #153. Well, she wasn't planning to wait in this line anyhow. She's gotta see what's going on.

The first person she sees at the end of the line was Cooking Cat. She goes up to her as she called out to her. Cooking Cat turned to her and replied, "Oh, dearie!" She put her fluffy paws on Hat Kid's cheeks, seeming relieved to see her.

Hat Kid was the first to question. "What happened? Why are you all here?"

"I can hardly remember, lil one. I do remember a bright flash of white...then the next thing I know I was here with everyone else. Then we heard an announcement saying, 'Wait for your judgement.'"

"Judgement?"

"Also, I've been in hot kitchens before, but this is something else! I don't know how you're not breaking a sweat, but I'm really cooking. Maybe you can skip the queue and find out who's head chef here, kid?"

Hat Kid gave a small nod. "Don't worry. I'll do what I can." Holding Cooking Cat's paws, she lowered them from her face and headed forward.

The goats, the penguins, the nomads, even the Subconites. Everyone really is here. And they all seemed worried.

As the line split down the two paths, Hat Kid gasped seeing who was in the middle, looking after his Subconites. Snatcher himself. She never thought he'd ever see him outside his forest. ...Then again, by the looks of the planet, his home is gone.

Hat Kid approached Snatcher, seemingly a bit worried as he had a bothered expression. "Snatcher?"

He looked down at her and his golden grin seemed to have returned a little. "Hey, kid. How's that soul of yours? Still rattling around in there?" He pointed at her and wiggled his clawed finger, gesturing her, to emphasize the "rattling" part. Hat Kid couldn't help but smile a little and nod. Despite him being a big scary soul-snatching shadow monster, he's not a terrible guy. He makes her laugh sometimes, after all.

His grin vanished though when he looked back at the castle. He then turned to Hat Kid and continued, "I'd love to know who thinks they're a big enough deal to judge me! So I've taken a few (hundred) souls. Big deal!"

He then crossed his arms and finished with, "Do us all a favor, kid. Go check out who thinks they're better than us...and hit them! I don't usually advocate that kind of thing, but this is pretty authoritarian."

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it. You just take care of your Subconites." Snatcher blinked, a tad bit surprised the hat brat is reminding him to take care of his citi–minions. Of course he'll take care of them. ...But it is good that she's actually still going to help even without a contract tying her down.

"Good luck kid." He looked away dismissively, but he seemed genuine in the statement. Hat Kid warmly smiled and headed forward. Her smile vanished though as she continued. Can she really face Mustache Girl? Does she _want_ to face her? After their fight in Mafia Town, she figured they would stay their separate ways. And something tells her that she'll be looking for a fight.

"Hey, kid!" Hat Kid looked behind her, spotting a tourist guy. Oh, wait, yeah! She helped him get his camera back in Mafia Town. It was a hop, skip and a jump to get it so it wasn't a big deal helping him. He was probably in DJ Grooves' movie too, complaining about how he wanted to be on the sun instead of the moon. She headed back down to him to hear what he had to say.

"Look, kid. I gotta be frank with ya. Of all the places I've been visiting, this is unquestionably the worst." Coming from him, that's saying quite a bit.

"Knowing you though, I think you can make things right. You did help me get my camera back from those seagulls, after all. Not to mention preventing Mafia Town from burning down. So you've gotta go in there and show that girl who's boss so I can get back on the moon! The moon was much more fun than this! I believe in you, kid."

Such encouraging words from a bystander. Feeling a little more confident, Hat Kid nodded and continued up the path. As she climbed the hill, there are still more people she knew in line. Then, she spotted a familiar bird-like creature in a train conductor's outfit near the front.

"Conductor?" He jolted and turned to her, a little surprised to see her.

"Yer here too lass? What is this place? I've never broken a law in me life!" Hat Kid could counter-argue, but she felt like it's not really the best time.

He then started looking angrier as he said, "Ohhh whoever they are, I'm nae gonna be judged by some...mustached, hatless, hood-wearin', statue-posin', CASTLE DWELLIN', TICKET GIVIN', **PECK NECK**!"

She's never seen the Conductor so steamed up before. Even during their fight. It made her step back a little, holding her umbrella. The Conductor noticed this and took a breath.

"I-I'm sorry, lassie. I guess I'm just…" He looked at the large doors that laid not too far ahead. "A wee bit nervous."

Her expression softened seeing him actually appear nervous as well. Then again, who wouldn't be? Knowing that your home is in ashes and you're about to be judged by an unfair judge...it could leave anyone afraid. Hat Kid put away her umbrella then walked up to the Conductor and looked up at him. "I'll do what I can to fix this."

He looked down at her and smiled a little. Then he tousled her hair. "Ye better, lassie. Me and DJ Grooves have got movies to make."

She smiled a little and nudged his winged-hand off, then headed forward. But not before spotting DJ Grooves on the other line. She figured the two conflicting movie directors would be in opposite lines, just as they share opposite sides of the studio.

DJ Grooves smiled, seeing Hat Kid approach. "Good to see you, darling! Nice to know I'm not the only super-star waiting around in this tawdry place. If you could, darling, slide on up past those doors and find out who's calling the shots, won't you?"

"Um, sure." With that said and done, Hat Kid approached the large wooden doors with golden door knobs and took a breath. She pushed them open and entered.

Now, she expected to find some sort of grand hallway filled with portraits of Mustache Girl. Or even a statue or two. What she didn't expect was what she was currently looking at.

Chambers of lava miles ahead of her, with enemies and traps at every turn. Sinking pillars, large gaps between platforms with lava below, and rings of fire. How is anyone without her abilities supposed to get through this?!

But Mustache Girl has to be at the end of these obstacles, so there's no time to waste. Making sure her Hookshot badge is equipped while tilting her hat down, Hat Kid charged forward. She whacked away the birds that were on fire as she jumped and hookshot herself over the gap.

As she landed, she spotted a cowering Express Owl. He seemed terrified as he looked ahead at the more obstacle courses. But then he looked at her.

"Give me your back of the line, ticket!" He then threw a book at her, causing her to yelp and put her arms up in defense.

"Hey! Not cool!" She then whacked him away just before he could attack her again.

Now even the citizens are turning against each other? She's gotta stop MG before it gets worse. Getting further in, it got more difficult. She even had to use her Dweller's mask to get across the green platforms from Subcon Forest. One of the Lazy Paw Gang members was halfway in and even stole her mask, trying to see if she could use it to get out of this mess. Hat Kid took her down and got it back though.

More Express Owls attacked, more rings of fire threatened to burn her, and there were even hammers smashing along the path! It wasn't until she reached an actual hallway when she finally leaned against the wall, relieved and exhausted.

Just as she pictured it before: grand and with portraits of MG. This must mean she's right past the grand doors ahead. Hat Kid felt a little nervous, but she had to continue forward. MG not only destroyed the planet, but she has her Time Pieces.

Taking another deep breath, she pushed the doors open. What she saw took her breath away and brought a little fear back into her.

A Mafioso was on his knees, begging to Mustache Girl, who was sitting on a throne that sat on top of the large pile of Time Pieces. All of them. She seemed dismissive of the Mafioso's pleas.

"I didn't punch old man for like, 2 days straight that one time!"

"Oh wow. What a touching story. Just kidding. Bad guy. NEXT!" She then pulled a lever beside her and a trap door opened up underneath the Mafioso. He screamed as he fell to his doom, right into the pit of lava.

"I said NEXT!" Hat Kid gulped nervously but stepped forward onto the same platform that could very well drop her to her doom next.

Mustache Girl looked up and a glare showed. "Oh. It's you." She crossed one leg over the other as she continued, "You've been kind of a selfish little pest, but eh. You haven't actually stood in my way. You get to go on. You're a good guy, I guess."

The large doors opened back up behind Hat Kid. She looked behind her, then back up to Mustache Girl. "Go on. You get to liiiive. NEEEEXT!"

For a second, Hat Kid just stood there...then she started backing up to the door. Everything seemed to have finally crashed down on her when she saw all the Time Pieces in the hands of her enemy. Hat Kid's hands were trembling as her past memories seem to show.

" _With this, I can make things better for me. I-I'm sure Tim won't be upset."_

" _Hey, kid!" She looked up with a gasp as a large figure loomed over her. Looked like a grown-up man, but with no hat. He then tried to pry the Time Piece out of her hands._

" _N-no wait! Don't!"_

" _Gimme it, you little brat!" He then kicked her to the ground, causing her to let go of the Time Piece. The stranger then laughed maniacally and held it up in the air. "Now this world can be mine!"_

" _NO!" The Time Piece was then smashed and there was a flash of light. When Hat Kid uncovered her eyes, she gasped in horror. The town...it was all being burnt to the ground. People were scrambling out in the streets, screaming for their lives. Some were already fleeing to their ships as well. A sort of war was waging out. The previous blue skies were now black with smoke and orange from the fire._

" _I-I gotta find Tim!"_

She backed up more, tears starting to roll down her cheeks as her heart pounded in her chest. This was her fault. She should've never came here. Everything is ruined because of her. The planet. Her chances of getting home. All gone. Just like what happened to her old home.

She choked back a sob as she turned around and began to run away. Everyone must hate her now. This is her fault. And how is she going to stop this?

" _Y'know, you're alright, new kid."_

Hat Kid's eyes opened back up. ...A good memory? No, that was back when they were friends...but things have clearly changed now.

" _Rest well, buttercup. You deserve it."_

" _Cooking Cat?_ " She was probably the first nicest person she met on this planet. Not to mention she cooked amazing food for her. ...What is she gonna do without her kitchen?

" _Now, now. Don't worry, darling. You're safe with me. I doubt a little child like you could cause this much trouble purposely."_

DJ Grooves. He was really good to her when she got dragged into the movie business. Admittingly, that was a lot of fun being in both their movies. Despite almost getting blown up in the Big Parade and Train Rush, she did enjoy her time being a movie star. Her run slowed to a walk.

" _Now now, little lass. I'm not dying. It's just a bit of greasepaint is all. See? No harm done." He gave her a gentle smile, showing her that he was okay. The blood really was just greasepaint. She hugged him, letting a few hiccups escape. She then felt him pat her back and rub her head. "Okay, okay. It's okay, little lass."_

Now Conductor. Sure he was a jerk at first, but he...actually did care enough to comfort her that day. Not to mention feel sorry for the fight they had. Despite everything, he's still a decent bird...owl...guy. Whatever he is.

" _HAHAHAHAHAHA! FOOOOOooo...oh wait, it's you. I was kind of expecting a new victim to step into my traps. I've already taken your soul and everything."_

How could she forget Snatcher? A bit of a jerk, but he did have a dark past. He probably had his reasons. But now that this was happening, what are the Subconites going to do? Their home is gone. Without realizing it, her movements slowed to a stop as she allowed more memories of this journey to go through her mind.

" _Please. Take this as trophy. You are truly hero of Mafia Town!" Her eyes sparkled as she smiled, taking the Time Piece from the Mafioso. The Mafia cheered for her._

" _Case closed." She could hear the audience cheering for the end of the Murder on the Owl Express movie. Looking over to the Conductor, he was smiling as well, satisfied with how it turned out._

" _Let's roll!" Both Snatcher and Hat Kid laughed as the two went down the path together. Hat Kid beeped the horn on the mail delivery scooter he gave her as he flew beside her. "Choo, choo~" Snatcher just laughed a little more. His smile seemed pretty genuine._

" _Of course I'm an owl, ye peck neck!"_

" _Hey, watch your language at the table." Cooking Cat gave a tiny glare to the Conductor._

" _S-sorry ma'am." Both DJ Grooves and Hat Kid chuckled as the four continued eating dinner together._

" _Whoa…" Sitting on the rooftop of one of the goat's houses, she watched the aurora lights dance across the sky. A couple goats sat below her, watching the sky as well. "I've never seen anything so beautiful back at home…"_

Then...everything just clicked. "Everyone. ...All those missions...they weren't just for Time Pieces. ...I wanted to help everyone." She grew to care about everyone she knew just as they have for her. Those people. This planet.

She wiped her tears dry and adjusted her hat with a much more determined expression. She has to fix it all. Whether it's her fault or not didn't matter anymore. This planet must be saved. For everyone. No matter what it takes.

She turned around and started walking back to the throne room. Then she broke out to a run. Mustache Girl looked back up, questioning what Hat Kid was doing. Hat Kid was then climbing up the Time Piece pile and up towards her.

Mustache Girl gasped and smacked her off the moment she got close. "Excuse me?! Don't you dare get anywhere near me! I don't think you quite understand who's in charge here, little missy."

Hat Kid got back up, adjusting her hat and giving MG a serious look. MG continued, "You know, I _was_ willing to forgive you. I once thought we were going to be best buds. But NOPE! You turned out to be rotten and selfish. Save the planet from bad guys? Pfft, who needs that, am I right?"

Hat Kid shook her head no. "You're wrong. Not everyone here is a bad guy. Some have done bad things, yes...but no one can be perfect. They can be good people when–"

"No! _You_ are the one who's wrong! After all, look what I've done without you. I've restored justice. I AM the justice! No more bad guys, ever! I don't need you. This planet doesn't need you. Nobody will miss you and nobody will care."

"...Whether that's true or not doesn't matter now. Because I at least care about _them_ and this planet!"

Mustache Girl growled and hopped down from her throne, gathering a few Time Pieces in her arms. "Then YOU are the bad guy. And I'll show you what this justice system deals with bad guys!"

She then charged at her, ready to punch her hard. Hat Kid jumped out of the way at least, but had a hard time getting a hit on her. For a little girl, she moved quick.

But wait. Hat Kid pulled out the new hat she made back at Alpine Skyline. With Badge Seller's help a little while before the illness came, she found this new yarn that harnessed a little bit of the Time Piece's power. A rare yarn that can be made into a Time Stop hat. Now seems like a good time to use it. Equipping it, Hat Kid pressed the clock piece on top of her hat. Her soul glowed and time seemed to have slowed down.

Seeing Mustache Girl in sight, she ran up and whacked her. To Mustache Girl, that was at lightning speed. She growled and jumped into the air, throwing Time Pieces at Hat Kid's direction. Hat Kid gasped and tried to catch them, making sure they weren't destroyed. This timeline's already distorted due to her smashing multiple Time Pieces before. Any more, they could enter an unstable rift that could destroy time itself!

Mustache Girl continued attacking relentlessly while Hat Kid did her best fighting back. It wasn't until the two clashed umbrella to fist and were pushed back where they finally stopped. Both were panting, seeing they were at an impasse.

"SHE CAN GET LOST!" Both girls jolted and looked in the direction of the gruff voice. To their surprise, a Mafioso entered. Following behind him were many other familiar people.

The Mafioso stood behind Hat Kid as he stated, "Mustached girl not welcome. Mafia say get lost!"

Conductor stood at Hat Kid's left side, clenching his winged-hands into fists. "That's right. Get lost! Nawone wants yer here! Isn't that right, big lad?" He looked behind him as one of the goats walked to his side and gave a firm nod.

Snatcher then floated directly behind Hat Kid and crossed his arms with a scowl. "This alternate reality stinks! Get lost!"

"Get lost! Ain't that right, gang?" The Moon Penguins with DJ Grooves leading then stepped in close by. They were all agreeing with the one Moon Penguin as they also shouted, "Get lost!"

Cooking Cat then jumped in, standing at Hat Kid's right side. "Yeah, get lost!"

Everyone was chanting the same thing. Telling Mustache Girl to get lost. All defending Hat Kid. The Subconites, the Express Owls, everyone!

Mustache Girl seemed shocked...and hurt. "Wh..wha? But I'm fixing everything. No more bad guys! Why can't you see I'm doing this for all of you?"

Hat Kid looked around her. She was still shocked that everyone she came to know was all standing beside her. Defending her. It was a little harsh shouting at Mustache Girl to get lost...but maybe now she'll stop, realizing what she is doing is wrong.

"You don't have to keep going, Mustache Girl. We can properly make the planet better without all this. Just please...stop what you're doing."

"But...how can you stand behind all these people? They're crooks!" She pointed to the Mafioso. "Criminals!" She then pointed to the Conductor. "And you're...you're helping them?" She finally looked at Hat Kid, who gave a firm nod.

"They're not as bad as you assume they are."

Mustache Girl stood there, looking down. But then a dark look showed on her face. She looked back up and held up a Time Piece. "This. Ends. NOW."

Hat Kid gasped. "NO!" But then the Time Piece was thrown down. Everything went black and Hat Kid was all alone.

"G-guys? Snatcher! DJ Grooves! Callie!" Then something smashed beside her. A Time Piece? Looking up, it was raining Time Pieces. She yelped and ran around, trying to avoid them all. Then, she felt her feet leave the ground as she fell for only a couple seconds.

When she landed, the black abyss then changed to a crazy colorful realm. She got up, standing on a circular platform and in front of an angry Mustache Girl. Outside the ring was everyone that came in defending her.

"Watch out, hat child!" Hat Kid looked in front of her and gasped, seeing Mustache Girl lunge at her. She dodged and whacked her with the umbrella. Mustache Girl growled and threw more Time Pieces, having them blast the path they were smashed.

"MG, stop!"

"No, I won't stop! Not until all the bad guys are gone!" She then smashed a Time Piece with her own hands and it blasted a large ray right at Hat Kid. She yelped and dodged, then tried to charge at her to whack her and stop her. But Mustache Girl quickly moved, dodging.

She blasted more rays at Hat Kid and Hat Kid kept trying to hit her. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't land a hit on her.

The Mafia men are noticing this and one of the Mafioso turned to the Conductor, who was watching a little anxiously. "Little hat kid can't even hit mustached girl! We have to help!"

The Conductor looked up at the Mafioso and gave a firm nod. "Yer got it, lad. Let's give her something to jab at that lil' red nuisance so she can get lost!"

"Mafia have idea." He then turned to the other Mafioso and shouted, "Boys! Mafia Ball!" They all nodded and formed the large Mafia Ball from the Mafia Boss fight. The Conductor was a bit surprised by the sudden action, but smiled and hopped on top of the ball.

"Let's roll! Heheheh!" He then waved over to Hat Kid and shouted, "Lil' girl! Give us a shove right into that red lass' ugly mug!"

Hat Kid looked up at the Mafia Ball, with the Conductor riding the top of it, with surprise. They're helping her? ...She smiled warmly and gave a determined nod. "Let's do it!"

After dodging another laser, she kicked the Mafia Ball right at Mustache Girl. Conductor yelped and held his wings out, trying to keep balance as he charged at Mustache Girl.

"What the?!" She then let out a grunt as she was knocked back by the mass of Mafia. She growled and threw Time Pieces while blasting lasers at her. Hat Kid kept using the same strategy as before. She continued kicking the Mafia Ball in the direction of Mustache Girl.

After a few more hits, the Mafia Ball fell apart and they were all knocked back out of the ring. MG decided it was time to step up her game. Crushing another Time Piece, a sort of strong glass shield formed around her. Hat Kid tried to hit it, but it felt like hitting one of Vanessa's ice sculptures. No way it was going to break.

Snatcher growled watching this. No way is this mustached brat going to beat his hat brat. No one's allowed to pick on her, but him. Besides, it would be bad for his reputation if she is beaten by a little girl but managed to beat a soul-stealing monster. He turned to one of the goats and said, "Let's sign a contract and make this girl get lost, once and for all!"

He then had a contract appear. On it, its conditions basically stated that they have to work together to stop Mustache Girl. If this all fails, then he gets his soul. The Goat seemed to have confidence Hat Kid was going to win as he signed the contract with no hesitation.

Snatcher's bright grin returned as he went, "Hahahaaa! Alright! Let's go! I'll create, you throw." He then used his magic to create an active Cherry Bomb. The one difference on this one is that it won't explode in less than 5 seconds. Hat Kid should have enough time to properly aim and throw it right at Mustache Girl. He handed it off to the Goat, who threw it in Hat Kid's direction.

Hat Kid stopped, questioning the Cherry Bomb. She picked it up and looked over in the direction it was thrown. "Teach her a lesson, kiddo!" Her eyes widen a little, seeing Snatcher cheering her on. Her smile grew as she nodded.

Aiming carefully, she threw the Cherry Bomb right at the shield. Just as she hoped, it was smashed to pieces. Mustache Girl was shocked the shield broke, but she broke out of her shock once Hat Kid gave her a hard smack with her umbrella.

MG kept trying to recreate the shield and use it against Hat Kid. But Snatcher and the Goat kept giving her Cherry Bombs and they kept destroying the shield, having Hat Kid hit her.

She finally jumped high in the air and screamed, "ENOUGH!" With a cackle, she then blasted a ray at the outside ring and circled around. If she got rid of the bad guys, they can't help the selfish hat kid win!

Hat Kid gasped as she saw one of the pesky birds, an Express Owl, and a Mafioso get blasted away, leaving behind their health in the form of pons. "NO, STOP!" She tried jumping up to stop Mustache Girl from hurting her friends, but Mustache Girl blasted her away. Hat Kid tumbled to her side, hat flying off her head and landing a few feet in front of her.

A different Mafioso gasped, getting an idea. "Oh. When Mafia explode, Mafia drop health pons! This give Mafia an idea." He turned to a Mafioso next to him and said, "Little hat girl need help to turn back time. If Mafia explode, little hat girl get useful pons. Mafia has to explode to save world!"

The second Mafioso looked shocked as he turned to him. "What?! Plan is crazy!"

However, the first Mafioso didn't seem scared or doubtful about this plan. He smiled a little and said, "Fellow Mafia no worry. If little girl succeed, Mafia come back when time rewinds. Now, punch me with all your might, fellow Mafia! No hesitation!"

The second Mafioso seemed a little concerned but nodded. They both then shouted, "Red-hooded girl, get lost!" The second one then punched the first Mafioso hard. Hard enough to have him explode into a few health pons. He seemed a little sad gathering them up, but then looked determined as he turned to Hat Kid, who laid weakly off to the side.

"Hat girl! Here, take these!" He then threw them at her, giving her a bit of strength. Hat Kid started to sit back up, grabbing her hat. "What…?" What is this strong feeling?

The Conductor had his wings crossed and a small sad smile as he chuckled and said, "Those Mafia lads...so foolishly brave. But eh, what's the point of livin' if I ain't got me train anyway?" His smile seemed to have faded as he looked down.

DJ Grooves turned to him, quietly shocked by his statement. "Conductor…" He put his flipper on the Conductor's shoulder...and he didn't even try to push it roughly off.

The Conductor looked at Hat Kid, then took a breath and turned to DJ Grooves. "Alright, DJ Grooves." He even said his name without any malice behind it. "The two of us are gonna help this little hat lass. Get ready for a mean punch, and you aim for me face! That's me weak spot!"

"Conductor I...I couldn't."

"Yes, you can. The lassie needs us. Besides, I've caused enough trouble for her. ...It's the least I can do to make up fer it."

DJ Grooves looked to Hat Kid, then gave a firm nod. "Then you better punch back hard too. The little darling needs all the help she can get." Conductor nodded with a small smile and put his fist up, ready to punch.

"And Conductor, darling? ...It was an honor working against you."

"Heh. The feeling's mutual, ye peck neck. Now, this angry red lass needs to get lost!" The two swung their fists hard, knocking them both back at the same time, having them disappear as pons.

Hat Kid gasped, a few tears showing in her eyes as their pons went to her, giving her more strength. It wasn't just the two directors and the Mafioso now. The Express Owls turned to each other and nodded, doing the same. The birds. The Moon Penguins.

"Hey uh, Boss? I think we outta help." Snatcher feared he would say that.

"Absolutely not! I will not lose you all!"

"Boss, look at the newbie. ...If she's gonna fix this world, she needs our help too." Snatcher looked up at Hat Kid. She did do a lot for him...and she is trying to fix the world.

"Hey, kid!" Hat Kid looked up, rubbing her eyes, trying to push away the tears. "You better bring everyone back, y'here?! Or so help me, I'll take your soul and consume it without hesitation!" He then turned to the Subconites and gave a small hesitant nod.

The Subconites turned to each other and nodded. Then they poofed themselves into pons, going to Hat Kid for strength. Snatcher didn't watch. It would've been too painful.

Callie looked to her Lazy Paw Gang. "Gang? It was an honor being your leader of this group. Let us show that little pesky twerp not to mess with us or the hat kid." The members nodded and poofed into pons as well.

Multiple pons continued going to Hat Kid, helping her stand and giving her great strength. She was practically glowing. Mustache Girl, meanwhile, looked mortified and scared.

"Wh-what is this?! If everyone disappears but me, then I'd be all alone! Bad guys, stop it!"

The Mafia Boss, who is still a jar of mush and eyes, shouted, "No, YOU'RE the bad guy! Get lost!"

Snatcher gave an angry look and added, "We don't NEED a hero! GET LOST!"

The whole rift then began trembling. When Mustache Girl tried to summon a shield or use any of her powers, it came out weak. "M-my powers are disappearing?!"

Hat Kid looked down at her own hands, which were glowing bright white/yellow. She's never felt this strong before. Almost everyone is sacrificing themselves for her. All their hearts beating as one. A similar goal: to stop Mustache Girl.

Hat Kid clenched her fists. No matter what MG will throw at her, she will fight and win. For everyone cheering her on.

With her power contradicting MG's, the battle continued on. MG continued trying desperately to throw more Time Pieces, blast her with lasers, anything to take her down! But it seems even if she got hit, she immediately gotten back up, strengthened by the ones sacrificing themselves. She was practically invincible!

Hat Kid was able to reach her easier with this newfound strength. She continued coming at her, whacking her with her umbrella. The more hits MG took, the weaker her will seemed.

A few tears even started to show in MG's eyes. But she still seemed to keep trying to give everything she had at Hat Kid. Until one final hit from Hat Kid finally knocked her down.

There was a quick flash of light as they appeared back in the throne room, MG face down and unconscious. Aside Hat Kid and her, everyone else was gone.

Hat Kid frowned and knelt down to MG. She then rubbed her head and said, "I'm sorry. ...But maybe when I fix this, I can help you someday."

Standing back up, she walked up to the throne, where all the Time Pieces were scattered. Sensing her presence, they all gathered together and floated around her. Hat Kid smiled brightly, seeing all 40 Time Pieces accounted for.

"Now, let's set everything back to the way it was!" With her given strength and willpower, she threw all 40 Time Pieces together down. With a loud smash, a bright flash of white surrounded her and the planet.


	31. Home

Hat Kid unshielded her eyes once the bright flash of light faded. Looking around, she found herself back on her ship. Scattered around her are all her Time Pieces, all whole and with no cracks.

She smiled a little, happy to see her Time Pieces back in her possession. Then, she blinked and quickly turned to the window. The planet! Was it restored? Did it work?

Looking at the planet, she sighed with relief with a warm smile. Just as she hoped, the planet was back to its normal state. She had almost forgotten what the beautiful blue oceans and regions looked like from up here. But, what about everyone?

She headed to the Machine Room first to check. The Mafia Boss, who was normally sitting off to the side grumbling to himself about how he'll exact his vengeance, wasn't there. That's a bit concerning.

She decided to check on her telescopes. Using the one in the Machine Room, she focused it down on Dead Bird Studios. She could at least see the Express Owls and Moon Penguins gathering together outside.

If that's the case, then everyone must've been restored after their sacrifices. She let out another sigh of relief, happy there are no more issues and the use of the Time Pieces actually went in her favor.

But then, a new problem then came to mind. What about Mustache Girl? She checked right outside the window in the Main Hall and spotted a faint figure in red. MG was unconscious in the alleyway of Mafia Town. Unconscious, but alive and with no Time Pieces in possession.

Hat Kid hummed in thought, a frown showing. After everything she put her and the others through, it was a little hard to see how her actions were just. And yet...she did recall her assumption of her past after looking through her possible ruined home.

" _I'm not going to let this island_ remain _as Mafia Town!"_

 _After grabbing the last piece of code for the golden safe, she looked around the abandoned home. She then spotted a sort of picture frame off in the corner. In the picture were a mother, a father, and a little girl._

Her home was taken from her. ...Kinda just like Hat Kid's was. Her gaze turned to one of the Time Pieces sitting to the side. She quietly picked it up and looked back down at the planet. Should she send one down to Mustache Girl?

On the one hand, she could use it to get rid of the Mafia for good. She seemed to have understood its power a bit more after their dispute.

But on the other hand, Time Pieces are sometimes difficult to work in one's favor. Not to mention after the dispute, it's actually pretty difficult to trust her with just one. She took possession of all of Hat Kid's Time Pieces and that caused the planet to fall under ruin. And the last time a single Time Piece was used to change events…

Hat Kid shook her head, shaking the train of thought off its tracks. One final reason it seems like a bad idea was she may not be able to make it home. ...Why didn't that seem like such a bad thing?

No, she's gotta stop dwelling on that thought. Of course she wants to leave and head for the planet she planned out. It's gotta be the right one this time.

With all situations thought out, she decided it would be a bad idea to give MG the same power she used to destroy. Even if it is just one Time Piece. Putting the Time Piece back in the pile, she climbed into her captain's cushioned chair.

With an eager smile, she began pressing buttons. "Beep boop beep! Boop." The vault then pops open and vacuums all the Time Pieces inside. The monitor next to it calculated out all the ones she got. 40 Time Pieces accounted for.

That should be enough to get her back on course and to the new planet. She looked back at the planet in front of her though. It's been a wild adventure...fun even, but it was time to finally get back on course. After all, she's caused enough trouble here. If she stuck around, who knows what events could come?

Taking a breath, she placed her hand on the right lever. With her heart skipping a beat, she pushed it forward.

The thrusters on the ship warmed up and got ready to go into hyperdrive. But just as it was about to blast off, it was abruptly stopped and the engines sputtered.

Hat Kid almost flew out of her seat by the sudden stop as a few alarms go off. Sitting back up and flicking her hat upright, she looked to the monitor. Something seems to be anchoring the front end of the ship, preventing it from launching.

She sighed. Must be some debris or something. She hopped out of her seat and marched up to the storage closet. Pulling out a tall brush, normally used for cleaning the large window, she marched up to the large window and opened the hatch. However, what she saw that was anchoring the ship was completely unexpected.

A Mafioso was hanging onto the ship. And hanging onto him was Snatcher. Cooking Cat was on Snatcher's shoulder while Conductor and DJ Grooves together were holding onto Snatcher's tail. Why was everyone hanging onto the ship? Don't they know she's gonna blast off and away?

The Mafioso looked up at Hat Kid and said with a sorrowful tone, "Don't leave us!"

Snatcher pulled out a contract with his free arm with a small smile that showed...a bit of desperation? "Hey, kiddo! Let's make another contract!"

DJ Grooves allowed the Conductor to use his microphone so Hat Kid could hear him say, "Oh! Don't ye dare leave, lass!"

DJ Grooves then spoke up next, shouting, "Let's watch our movie, darling!"

Hat Kid was purely shocked. They don't want her to leave? After everything that's happened? For a few moments, she just stood there, speechless. Why do they care so much about a troubled child such as herself?

Then, she frowned and looked down. This was gonna be tough. "I'm sorry...I-I have to." It felt wrong saying that, but nonetheless, she aimed the brush at the Mafioso holding onto the ship. As much as she didn't want to push them away like this, she knew she couldn't stay. She's already caused enough trouble. Staying would only make it worse for everyone. ...Just like back at her old home.

She nudged the Mafioso's right hand off and began brushing his left hand. Once he lost his grip, Hat Kid yelped as she felt something gripping the other end of the brush. Looking down, she saw Snatcher as the one holding it. The Mafioso was caught by Cooking Cat and the two remained on his shoulders.

"Oh no, kiddo. You're not getting rid of us that easily. Now, let us on your ship to explain or you're falling down with us."

Stubborn as always. She could give herself a safe landing with her umbrella, but all her Time Pieces are packed away. If she doesn't have one on hand, she'll never get back up to her ship. She could let go of the brush and let them all go back down to the planet, but she didn't want to lose the brush. Brushes as tall as the one she possessed are really hard to come by nowadays.

She sighed, knowing she didn't have a choice. She began pulling up, bringing everyone inside with her. Sealing the door, she turned to everyone. "Why are you guys stopping me from leaving?"

Snatcher interjected first, a small scowl showing and with his arms crossed, "I think the real question is why are you leaving anyway?"

"B-because I have to get home."

DJ Grooves stepped in next. "And you're not going...to say goodbye, darling?"

"I...didn't have the time."

Snatcher counter-argued, "Kid, you've been here for weeks and you can't spare 2 minutes?"

Hat Kid's gaze was down now. What more could she say? She was running out of excuses. Cooking Cat then stepped forward. "Dear, we just want to know why you're so insistent on leaving. But if you really must go...we shouldn't stop you."

Everyone else looked at Cooking Cat with small shock. She then turned to the group and asked in a stern tone, "Did she ask to get dragged in this sort of problem? She didn't want to lose all her Time Pieces and have them used for selfish reasons all over our world."

Everyone else, especially the Conductor and Snatcher, glanced to the side. That was true. She did kinda get dragged into a lot of problems they were dealing with. Well, the Mafioso felt mostly indifferent, but he did feel a little bad. Especially since she was the one that was defending him and others from the pesky red-hooded girl.

Conductor and DJ Grooves both have to admit they did let their competitive spirit get in the way of her own needs. But then again, she did enjoy the films and it was quite the privilege. Conductor, especially though, felt a bit worse since he did fight her off. And that all started because red-hooded lass tricked him in doing so by revealing the Time Pieces' power.

Snatcher honestly didn't really mind having the kid put through the contracts. He was still pretty steamed about how she trespassed, beat him, and is still currently getting away with it all. ...Though the Subconites were warming up to the kid pretty well and her happy aura is a nice feeling.

Cooking Cat finally turned to Hat Kid. "Whatever decision you make, dearie, we won't stop you this time."

Hat Kid quietly looked back down in thought. If she was being...perfectly honest with herself, suddenly going to this new planet didn't seem so appealing as it was from the beginning. Especially after getting to know this planet and all the people on it, who accept her a bit more than her last home. But maybe that's why she shouldn't stay.

"I... _should_ go."

Snatcher spoke up with an eyebrow raised, "'Should' or 'want'? Why do you say you _should_?"

"B-because I...I-I would only cause trouble!"

All eyes were now on her. Cooking Cat was the first to speak up. "Now how would you cause trouble?"

"I-...I already have. B-by bringing the Time Pieces here...letting MG get them and…"

DJ Grooves spoke next, "Darling, _that_ wasn't your fault. The little mustached girl is to blame for that terrible event."

"But I brought them here. If I didn't, then you guys wouldn't have had problems." She looked at each person as she addressed them. "The Mafia wouldn't have had their boss in a jar, Conductor and DJ Grooves wouldn't have had such a terrible fight, and I wouldn't have came to Snatcher's forest if the Time Pieces weren't there."

Conductor then stated, "Even if that's true, lassie, ye have done a lot of good things for us too."

Mafia added, "Little bird creature is right." Ignoring the Conductor's slightly angered expression by the name, he stated, "Little hat child did help save Mafia Town from flooding with lava."

DJ Grooves then added, "And if you weren't a part of my movies, darling, I would've never gotten so close to winning the award. The ratings were through the roof and enjoyable to film. Aside complications." He glanced at the Conductor with an unhappy expression.

The Conductor huffed, crossed his winged-arms, and looked to the side. But then he looked to Hat Kid, who seemed to be looking at him curiously. Curious if he has felt the same way. His stern demeanor seemed to have softened a little as he said, "Yeah...it was nice to have ye on set, lass. Me ratings are usually pretty well, but I suppose ye did aid well in helping me win the annual bird movie awards."

Now Snatcher's turn. He seemed as prideful as the Conductor was trying to be, but with everyone now looking at him, he had to say something. "Yeah well...you're still annoying, but the Subconites at least like you. And I gotta give you credit for making it this far with me." He had a small smirk show on that last statement.

Cooking Cat smiled a little and then said, "By the sound of it, you must've done more good than bad, dear. No one's asking you to leave after all."

"It _is_ the whole reason we came here in the first place, darling. _We_ don't want you to leave."

"But I suppose no one's forcing you to stay either, kid. Like the cat says: whatever you want to do is up to you."

Hat Kid was silent through this whole conversation. It is true she's done a lot of good...but what if the planet turns to ruin again? Just like her old home. Maybe she can tell her story someday...but probably not to everyone at once. It would be a bit too overwhelming seeing all eyes on her as she told her broken past.

Then again...it already experienced its ruin not long ago. And she did manage to fix it for once. No one's even asking her to leave. They're really trying to make her stay.

"...You... _truly_ want me to stay?"

While everyone nodded, Conductor added, "We wouldn't be here if we didn't want ye here, lass."

Hat Kid's hands started to shake as she looked at everyone she experienced her adventures on. Everyone she grew to care about and fight for. Then a few tears started to show in her eyes. But despite the tears, a small shaky smile found its way to show on her expression.

Everyone, on the other hand, looked worried, seeing her tear up. "Lass?" "Dear, are you alright?" "Did we overwhelm you, darling?"

She rubbed her eyes and replied, "I-I...I'm fine. It's just...I _do_ want to stay. I'm really happy h-here and…"

"No need to say more, dear. We're happy to have you." Cooking Cat smiled warmly and embraced her, purring softly. DJ Grooves smiled and hugged as well. The Mafioso even softened up by embracing the three. Conductor was a bit hesitant, but he became a part of the group hug. Curse his grandparental instincts.

Now everyone looked up at Snatcher, who had his arms crossed. "I don't do hugs." Hat Kid smiled a little and reached out. Then she grabbed his tail and hugged that. He jolted and his eye twitched. But he sighed with defeat and patted her head.

Hat Kid, never feeling more loved than she has now, giggled with a few tears rolling down her cheeks. Now she's never been more sure about this: this is where she belongs.

But then her smile vanished when she realized something. "Oh! If I'm staying here, there's something I gotta take care of." Everyone un-hugged her, confused. Hat Kid wiped away her tears and ran up to the Time Piece Vault. Opening it, she grabbed one Time Piece and closed it.

"I'll be right back!" She then jumped down, heading to Mafia Town. Everyone looked at each other, pondering what she was up to now.

* * *

" _Get lost!" "Nawone wants yer here!" "We don't need a hero! Get lost!" "Mafia say get lost!" "Get lost!" "Get lost!" "Get lost!"_

" _ **GET LOST!**_ "

Mustache Girl woke up from her unconsciousness with a gasp. She then sat up, rubbing her head. That headache is gonna stay for a good while. Stupid Hat Kid with her stupid umbrella.

Then she looked around town. Her castle was gone and the town was back to its graffitied, trashed-up state. She was back in Mafia Town, which was back to its ruined state.

She stood up, anger and frustration boiling back up in her. "No! I was so close! I was gonna finally get rid of all the bad guys. Then _she_ got in the way!"

Her fists continued to tremble in anger until they stopped and unclenched. A sigh escaped her as her head lowered. All that hard work and she was back to square one. Back to fighting the Mafia on her own. ...Back to being unsuccessful and alone again.

"Well, to be fair, I kinda prefer everyone to not have lost their homes and be dumped into lava." Mustache Girl gasped and turned around. Hat Kid was standing about 7 feet behind her, umbrella propped on her shoulder like usual. Her expression was mainly neutral, but she did have a tiny smile or smirk from her statement.

Mustache Girl growled a little and turned her back to her once more. "What do you want? You here to gloat about your stupid victory? You got everything you wanted."

"No. I wanted to come see you...and talk to you about what happened."

MG scoffed. "What's there to say? You're on the bad guys' side and I couldn't stop you."

"They're not all bad guys, especially when you get to know them."

MG turned back around, her anger visible. "And what would _you_ know how they are like?! Especially the Mafia! I thought you understood how horrible they are when you first fell into town. When they punched you in the face, tripped you, and took everything they had from you!"

Something told Hat Kid MG wasn't just referring to her. She still didn't know all the details of her past exactly, but she can make a few solid assumptions after seeing her possible ruined home. Not to mention the Mafia's backstory she kept from the rift.

"You're right. I can only make assumptions and try to look for the best in others. ...That's why I'm hoping I can find the best in you. I know you're angry at the Mafia for all they've done, but that's no reason to try and destroy everything and everyone."

Mustache Girl huffed and crossed her arms, looking down. What would she care? She didn't have her home taken away from her from some bad guys. She didn't lose everything she held dear and is forced to fight for her home, despite knowing she'll come out unsuccessful.

Hat Kid frowned, seeing that it's not getting through to her. She sighed and put away her umbrella. "I really don't know what you have gone through...but something tells me we share the same kind of story."

MG scoffed and rolled her eyes. Hat Kid continued, "I did lose my home a couple years ago. All because of a stupid mistake on my end."

MG blinked and glanced back. Hat Kid's expression looked solemn and guilty. Wait...do they really share the same kind of story?

She glanced down, then looked to her. "What happened?"

Hat Kid sighed and motioned her to the back part of the ally, then sat down on a barrel. MG quietly followed and sat down on a barrel in front of her. Hat Kid then took off her hat and looked at it with a small nostalgic smile.

"I had a home before coming here...and it was a lovely place. Blue skies, green trees, and a nice town. Everyone had hats that had their own special abilities. You normally have to earn your hats by creating them. Some were incapable and were looked down upon, but I was lucky to learn at a young age."

 _With one final stitch, she held up her signature purple top hat with a yellow sash. Now, this is a hat she could be proud of. She closed her eyes and placed it on her head. ...But nothing happened. Huh. She was expecting a flash of light or some kind of power coursing through her. Did she do it wrong? ...Maybe she should ask Tim._

Hat Kid continued, "I lived in a small town with my mom and dad...but to be honest, they weren't...the best parents."

" _Mom, I need some help with this problem. It's for school."_

" _Can't you ask your teacher or look it up yourself, Heather?"_

 _Hat Kid looked down and sighed, then left her be. She had her own work to do, so...she shouldn't be surprised._

 _She knocked on the bedroom door. "Dad, we're running low on food. Can we go buy some groceries?"_

 _His muffled voice was heard from within. "Not now, Hailey. Your father's busy with something."_

 _Hat Kid sighed once more. They haven't gone to the grocery store in 2 days. ...Guess she can use her savings to find some food herself._

"But I also had...a friend of mine. He took care of me whenever they couldn't and he taught me all I needed to know about my hat and even the Time Pieces."

 _Hat Kid knocked on the observatory's door, quietly hoping Tim was up at this hour. Sure enough, he quietly opened the door. He looked half-awake though._

" _Heyyy Tim...I-I'm sorry for waking you at this time but...I was wondering…" She quietly looked down, starting to think maybe this was a bad idea._

" _You wish to stay with me for the night?" Hat Kid looked up, then gave a small nod._

" _I-If it's not...too much trouble." He smiled warmly despite his sleepy state. He could probably guess why she's coming to him at this time._

" _The bed's already made up just the way you like it." He then stepped to the side, then asked, "You want some hot cocoa as well?"_

" _Oh yes please!" Her mood immediately brightened as she headed inside, having Tim chuckle a little, happy to see her already looking better. Hat Kid eagerly made her way to the spare bed Tim kept, with all the star pillows she could snuggle with._

MG listened quietly. She felt a little hatred growing towards her parents. No, they don't deserve that title. Who just ignores their kid and dismisses her? At least her mum and pop were good to her.

...Just thinking about them made MG feel her heart twist up. She decided to stop thinking about them for now and ask, "So...what happened?"

Hat Kid looked down. "Time Piece corruption happened. ...After Tim taught me about the power of the Time Pieces, I…" She took a shaky breath, holding her trembling hands together. "I tried to use it myself for my own benefits. I thought maybe if I...used it, my parents would acknowledge me more. I wouldn't get bullied at school. ...But a hatless man took that power from me and used it before I could. He then smashed it...and put the world in ruin. Like what happened here when you took them."

MG's eyes widened. A bad guy used the Time Pieces and destroyed Hat Kid's home? He is unforgivable! If she ever meets him, she'll throw him into the ocean after beating him up!

Hat Kid continued trembling, tears threatening to return to her eyes as her memories continued to show before her eyes.

 _Hat Kid ran straight for home, terrified of the sudden change. She could see some of the townsfolk already getting in their spaceships, evacuating from the crumbling planet._

 _As she headed to her house, she slowed to a stop. Her eyes began to show tears as she began to tremble. "No…" She could see her mother and father's ship taking off from her home. Before she could call out to them, they already blasted off._

 _They left her...they actually forgot and left her. She shouldn't be surprised...but she was. "I-I...I gotta find Tim!" She ran to the observatory. He wouldn't leave her, right? He would never leave her!_

 _She made it to the observatory and ran inside. Tim was seen packing away the Time Pieces. "Tim!"_

 _He looked to her with surprise. "Hat Kid! Wh-why are you here? Shouldn't you be evacuating with your family?"_

 _Hat Kid started to whimper as tears began to roll down her cheeks. Tim then realized why she was still here. He clenched his fist. They are unforgivable. Leaving behind their own_ _ **child**_ _!_

 _He then knelt down in front of Hat Kid and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Hattie, listen to me. You must leave the planet. Protect the Time Pieces."_

" _W-what?"_

" _...I was saving this for your 10th birthday, but I think now is a good time to show it." He then took her to the backyard of the observatory. What he showed her made her gasp. A ship. A beautiful looking ship! Just looking at the inside, it looked like it was suited for her._

" _Is this...is this for me?"_

 _He smiled a little and replied, "Yes. Your very own ship. Powered by Time Pieces." An explosion then startled the two. That sounded close. The planet wasn't going to stay standing for long._

 _Tim quickly guided Hat Kid on board and pushed the autopilot button. The ship then began its launching sequence. He quickly shut the hatch door and ran to the observatory._

 _Hat Kid gasped and ran to the window. "Wait! Tim! What are you–"_

" _Protect the Time Pieces, Hattie! And be safe!" He then ran back inside, hoping to gather any remaining Time Pieces and any other knowledge that he didn't pack on Hat Kid's ship for her to use. If he's quick enough, he could probably make it to his ship._

 _Hat Kid's new ship flew into space and Hat Kid got a good look at her ruined home. But then, an explosion was seen as her planet split apart. Her heart dropped._

" _NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Her ship then blasted off into hyperspeed. That was the last she ever saw of her old home._

A few tears fell down on Hat Kid's lap. Her whole body was shaking and she was trying her hardest to not sob.

MG, meanwhile, looked a little mortified. Her old home...literally destroyed and gone. Everyone she knew, everything she remembered from that planet, all just...vanished.

"I...had no idea." Hat Kid rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath. All to keep herself from breaking down.

"S-so...that's why I was so pushy on not letting you use the Time Pieces."

"Hm." MG looked down quietly. She supposed that made sense. After all, she is speaking from experience. She never really wanted to destroy her old home town...or maybe take out some of the not-so-bad guys. She just wanted to get rid of the Mafia. Make them suffer like they made her suffer.

Hat Kid and MG climbed down from their barrels and looked at each other. MG then asked, "So...why tell me all this?"

"Because I want us to be friends again. And...I thought maybe if you knew about my past…"

"We could relate?"

"...In a way?" MG looked down. But then she looked in the direction of her old home.

"...Follow me." She then suddenly took off, leaving a slightly surprised Hat Kid quickly tailing her. The two then arrived at the abandoned house Hat Kid stumbled upon when looking for the Golden Vault code pieces of paper.

"Why are we here," Hat Kid questioned. MG didn't answer her as she walked around the house. She looked at the ruined fireplace for a solid minute first.

 _MG snuggled in her blanket, cozied up in front of the fireplace. Sitting beside her was her mother and father, both wrapping their blankets around each other and her. MG also sipped on her hot cocoa. Mom always_ _knew how she liked it: always with marshmallows._

MG then looked to the broken window. She could faintly recall waking up every morning with the sun rising. Seagulls could be heard and she could see a portion of the town below.

She then turned to the corner table with the family picture laying on top of it. She walked past Hat Kid, who was remaining silent for her sake, and gently picked up the portrait. She stared at the picture long and hard with a solemn expression.

"Mustache Girl?"

"...Mu."

"Huh?" That caught Hat Kid off guard. Especially given the tone in her voice. It sounded...tired and defeated.

"...My real name is Mu. ...I just haven't had anyone call me that in a long time. And I took the name Mustache Girl to throw the Mafia off." She handed Hat Kid the picture.

"This was my old home. Back before this place was taken over by the Mafia."

" _Thanks for coffee grounds, Mr. Capper! We've been running low and my papa's been meaning to get more."_

" _You're welcome, Mu. Say hello to your mother and father for me." Mu smiled brightly, waving back in a way of showing she will. She headed through the town, across the polished blue bridge. The river to the crystal blue ocean flowed beneath her as she headed to her home._

 _Then, she stopped, hearing a strange foghorn. It was different than the ones she was used to hearing. Like her father's or her neighbor's boats. She headed to the direction of the sound and spotted newcomers. They looked like big, buff men. Weird mustaches and kinda weird clothes._

 _But any newcomer must be greeted with a warm welcome here. With a bright smile, she straightened her mustache and headed to the shore, just as they were getting out of their boat._

" _Hello, there! Welcome to–"_

" _Out of way, little brat!" She yelped as she was shoved roughly to the side. Well, that wasn't really nice. She sat up, rubbing her head and brushing the sand off her._

" _Ah...this is perfect place for Mafia. Beaches and blue skies! It is decided. This place is now Mafia Town!"_

" _Wh...what?" What are they talking about? They can't just come in and take their home. What did they do wrong? Was it something she said?_

Mu was looking down, adjusting her hood. Mild anger showed in her eyes as refueled hatred towards the Mafia filled her heart.

"So...what happened?" Hat Kid didn't want to keep pressing, but she needed to know the full story.

Mu paused, then her back was turned to Hat Kid. "They took over the town. They started trashing the place...throwing people out of their homes...then they made the geyser erupt at the center of our town, making it their own fortress."

"And they didn't just take my home…" Anger venomously laced her voice as she turned around with fire burning in her eyes. "They took away _everything_ I held dear!"

" _NO! Leave my mum and papa alone!" She leaped up, hitting the Mafioso that was looming over her mother._

" _Stay out of it, little brat!" He then threw her to the wall, causing her to yelp in pain._

" _LEAVE MY DAUGHTER ALONE!" Now it was her mother's turn to fight back. But her small stature was no match compared to the Mafioso. He just scoffed and picked her up. She kept fighting, hitting his back with her fists. Mu tried to get up. Tried to fight back. But her sides were hurting from behind slammed into the wall._

 _Then her father comes in and pushes the Mafioso down. He quickly helped his wife up and picked up Mu. He then handed Mu to his wife. "Take Mu and run away! Go!" Mu called out to her father. Reached out to him even. But her mother had to make sure her daughter was safe. She ran, climbed down the ladder, and headed to the docks._

 _As she ran with Mu in her arms, she heard a few other Mafioso spot her and chase her. She ran around the beach and spotted a small cavern. She knelt down and set Mu down. "Mu, honey. Stay here and be silent."_

" _M-...mum?"_

" _I'll come back for you if I can." She gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Be safe." She held her hands firmly and close to her face as tears rolled down her cheeks. She then backed away from her and ran off, waving to the Mafioso that were chasing her. In doing so, they didn't notice Mu hiding and focused on her._

Mu didn't even realize she was crying until she rubbed her eyes. She kept rubbing them, hoping Hat Kid isn't seeing this. She didn't need to see her cry. Only babies cry.

"Mu...I'm so sorry."

Mu just quietly looked down and continued, "I stayed hidden for hours. I heard cannons go off, shouting, and glass breaking. Then, when everything quieted down, I came out. The town I once knew was destroyed. All the people I knew were missing and there was only Mafia."

"I tried everything I could. Bargain with the Mafia Boss, fight the Mafia themselves, and cause some mischief, trying to take back the town. ...But was never really successful."

 _Mu rolled the barrel of supplies to her hideout: the same cave she was dropped off at. Hoping her mother and father would come for her, just like her mum promised. She opened the barrel and almost gagged. Fish. Why is it always fish?_

 _She sighed and started cooking one over her small fire pit. As she quietly munched on it, rain started coming down. Mu tucked her knees up, keeping close to the fire and inside the cavern. A few tears began to show and roll down her cheeks._

"Then when you came...I realized my family's not coming back." Now tears were involuntarily rolling down her cheeks. "You remember what one Mafioso you talked to said? About the townsfolk?"

Hat Kid tried to recall her memory. Then the moment she remembered, she let out a small soft gasp. "No…"

 _While Hat Kid was searching all of Mafia Town for the Mafioso with the rocket, she even asked a few Mafia men around. She didn't get a lot of information out of them though. One commented about past immigration issues, another talked about punching a seagull with its own child, and a Mafioso still wanted to know how to get into this one small area Hat Kid could access so he could do some sort of game called 'Hide and Punch.'_

 _Then, one particular Mafioso really caught her attention with what he said. "Mafia not remember what happened to old island people. Only thing Mafia remember is they make good cannon balls for town cannons."_

"Y-you...overheard?"

Now it was Mu's turn to tremble. She was hugging her arms and shaking, keeping her back turned to Hat Kid so she couldn't see the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Hat Kid quietly approached and gently put a hand on her shoulder. Mu finally looked at her, her eyes a little red with tears. She was expecting her to start mocking her. Laugh at her for crying over something stupid like this. Her family was gone and never coming back. Crying won't bring them back. ... **Nothing will**.

Hat Kid couldn't stand it anymore. She then firmly hugged Mu. That threw Mu off. What was she doing? _Why_ was she doing this? She wanted to shove her away. But when she raised her arms to do so...they weakly held Hat Kid's arms and she buried her head into Hat Kid's shoulder.

Then, before she could stop herself, Mu began to sniffle. Hat Kid simply rubbed her back. "Go ahead."

Mu's sniffles then changed to soft crying...until she began to sob then bawl. She cursed herself for doing so. She cursed the Mafia. She cursed herself again for not doing more to defend her home. She then fell to her knees and Hat Kid lowered herself as well to keep hugging her. Mu was now hugging back, praying that Hat Kid wouldn't let go, as she continued to sob. The weight of everything that has happened finally hit her shoulders and it was unbearable.

Her home is gone. Her family is gone...possibly dead. And when she tried to make it right, she only ended up making things worse for herself. Now the Mafia will be more on guard, those bird directors probably _despise_ her, and that weird shadow monster may come after her. All that effort and she was still homeless and alone. The only thing that changed was now she was hated everywhere.

When she finally found her voice once more and her sobs quieted down to sniffles, she then asked, "Why…? Why are you...being so nice to me?" She didn't deserve this kind of care. Especially not from her rival.

" _Because I don't want you to do anything to yourself. Because I don't want to see you cry. Because we share the same kind of pain._ " Those were all reasons in Hat Kid's mind. But the one that would speak out for her would be, "Because I can. And because I should. You've been through so much...and I didn't exactly make it better in coming here."

Mu was now a little confused. Hat Kid explained, "If I never crashed here...you wouldn't know about the Time Pieces. Then at least you wouldn't be so...dismissed by everyone. I have to admit, I felt bad when they were all screaming at you to get lost. ...Even though it was never said to me directly, I felt like that's what the people at my old home wanted."

Mu was silent. To think, some kid was some crazy power was rejected. Hat Kid didn't deserve that. She was tough, strong, and had some cool stuff. ...Not like the street rat Mu turned out to be. She couldn't even take down one Mafioso.

The two slowly released their embrace and Mu rubbed her eyes with her sleeve. Hat Kid rubbed her eyes as well. A few tears were shed by her as well.

"C'mon." Hat Kid stood up and offered her hand to Mu. "Let's go home."

Mu looked at her questionably...but took her hand. Hat Kid pulled out her Time Piece and the two flew up to her ship.

Although it was hard to have everyone accept Mu's company, Hat Kid remained defensive for her. She never told them her story though. That's only for Mu to tell just as Hat Kid's story was only to be told by herself. With reluctance, they decided to allow her to stay...so long as that Time Piece vault was locked up tight.

For the night, Hat Kid declared they all should have a sleepover. They all enjoyed dinner and had many enjoyable conversations. Mu was quiet through most of it, but it felt kinda nice listening to them all.

Later that night, Cookie settled herself onto the burger cushion Hat Kid had. She purred softly as she drifted off to a peaceful sleep. Conductor slept on a pile of pillows in the Machine room with the gentle sound of gears turning to remind him of his train.

DJ Grooves slept in the Engine room, where it was a little chilly. Just the way a penguin usually likes it. He got a nice pile of pillows and a blanket as well.

Snatcher rested in the kid's room on the large pile of pillows that was off on the left side of the room. Normally he never needed to rest, but tonight may be an exception. Nothing left for him to do anyway.

Finally, Mu and Hat Kid were resting together in Hat Kid's own bed. Mu almost cried herself to sleep with the fact that it's been too long since she's slept on an actual bed. She forgot how comfortable it felt. Hat Kid also let her borrow some clean pajamas.

Hat Kid hummed and opened her eyes for a moment. Looking around, she spotted her contractual obligated BFF relaxing for once. Then next to her, a peaceful sleeping Mu. She's even smiling a little.

Hat Kid smiled warmly, reminded of all the events that have occurred that left her up to this moment. It was a long journey and it ended on a better note than she could imagine. Certainly not one she expected, but the results have been worth it.

As she laid back down to fall back into a peaceful sleep, she had one last thought.

" _Yes. ...I'm finally home._ "

With a warm smile, she dozed off.

 **THE END**

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Well, what a long journey this has been. But I think we all know that it's not over yet. There's still much to do and see, after all. I honestly never thought though that this story would get as much recognition as it did. So sincerely, thank you all SO much for supporting this. Every review I got would just brighten up my day, especially knowing I could write something for you all that you would enjoy. As I said before, I will plan to write about the DLC's new content and I may have another idea: a short story/one-shot compilation of Hat Kid's side adventures or any suggestions _you_ guys may have that I can tell a tale about for all to share. For now though, I shall end it here. Thank you all once more and have continuous good days! :)


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